Drivewear, Transitions Lenses That Darken in a Car!!

Dr. White keeps saying wonderful things about his "Drivewear", but what exactly is it? Well, Drivewear is one of the newest lenses to come out of the genius labs at Transitions, the company famous for making suglasses that darken outside and become clear lenses indoors. Transitions lenses are rightly celebrated for being the best and easiest to use photochromic sunglass lenses made. The only problem is that they didn't really get all that dark in a car.

Until now!!

Drivewear lenses are just killer technology. They have pretty much everything you would want in a pair of glasses for driving. First of all, they are polarized (remember our post on polarization and cutting down glare?). They utilize one of the most advanced methods for this, the "Nupolar" process. Less glare in all viewing situations.

The Transitions Photochromic technology does the rest. In dim light, in or out of a car, the lenses are a high contrast green-yellow. This minimizes glare and maximizes the amount of light information that enters the eye.

While other photochromic lenses don't change color in a car, the Drivewear lenses will darken even behind a windshield. The lenses become a copper color in the car on a sunny day. This highlights reds and greens...you know, like the ones in street lights! They reduce glare and cut down excess visible light.

Outside, especially on bright days, the Drivewear lenses become a dark reddish-brown color. This gives maximum comfort and protection from excess light, and of course blocks out 100% of harmful Ultraviolet rays.

So see what Dr. White is so excited about! Come on over to Skyvision Centers and ask us about Transitions Drivewear!

What Color Sunglass Lens For Driving?

For many of us the most frequent use of sunglasses is while we are driving. Polarization is a big help here since using polarized lenses of any color will dramatically reduce the glare that comes off the hood of the car and from other cars. Most of the better sunglass manufacturers like Maui Jim, Oakley, Kaenon, and Nike offer polarized options.

The color you use to drive depends on your personal preference more than anything else. Lenses that have brown tints will preserve your color appreciation to a greater degree than any of the other colors so we will typically suggest brown for driving and general purpose wear. Dr. White wears his Maui Jim Brown HD's all the time! (By the way, these are NOT Dr. White's!)

How about Transition lenses, lenses that change color to become darker when you are outside? For most of these lenses the change occurs when they are exposed to UV light. Your windshield and your car windows effectively block out all of the UV light so regular Transitions will NOT get dark inside the car.

Stay tuned for more scoop on Sunglass Lens colors!

What's The Deal With Polarization?

What exactly is polarization? Are all sunglasses polarized? Should they be?

Let's talk a little bit about what polarization is first. When light comes out of a single source, or point source, the light rays come out in an infinite number of directions. Kind of like the light coming from a star or street light. Polarized light is light that is traveling in only one direction or plane.

There are lots of times when polarized light is created naturally. Think of sunlight bouncing off of a snow-covered field or the surface of a pond. There are also lots of times when reflected light is NOT polarized, like the reflection off the chrome bumper of that car that was in front of you this morning on the highway! We can use polarized lenses in our sunglasses to choose exactly which type of light we see.

We can minimize glare while driving by wearing polarized sunglasses. Most reflected light is parallel to the ground; polarized sunglasses will block out these rays, allowing vertical rays to come through the lenses. The same thing is true on the water. When you are boating or fishing you can reduce glare by wearing polarized sunglasses.

Not all sunglasses are polarized. In fact, there are times when you DON'T want to have your sunglasses polarized. On the golf course polarization will make everything seem flat. Imagine how hard it would be to putt if you couldn't see the break on the greens!

Come visit us at the Sky vision Centers Optical to see our polarized sunglasses from Oakley, Nike, and Maui Jim!

Nike SportsVision Golf!

Did you know that all of the Skyvision Centers doctors are golfers? Dr. Kaye has actually competed in some of the biggest Cleveland golf events. All of our doctors know the importance of protecting their eyes from UV light. But what about performance? Can a pair of sunglasses make you see BETTER on the golf course?

You bet! The Nike Max Tint SportsVision series of sunglass lenses are designed to only let the most important wavelengths of light make it to your eyes for your special sport. The Nike Golf lens is a purple lens that makes the white golf ball "POP"  against the green background of a golf course so that you can follow your shots better.

The other big advantage of wavelength management is how the Nike Golf Lens allows a golfer to see contours on both the fairways and the greens. Dr. Kaye wears his all the time and feels he can see the breaks on the greens much better when he is wearing his Nikes!

Skyvision Centers is the leading provider of Nike Max Tint sports lenses in Cleveland. Let the doctors and our optical staff fit you with the perfect pair of Nike Golf lenses so that you an improve your game!

Know the Dry Eye Facts

You’ve been staring at your computer and sifting through paperwork for hours. Your eyes begin to feel gritty, sore and tired. You could be among the 30 million Americans that suffer from dry eye disease, and not even know it. Since dry eye symptoms can mimic many other syndromes, sufferers frequently go undiagnosed and often don’t realize what they are afflicted with. Additionally, many people confuse dry eye symptoms with seasonal allergies or the common cold. It is imperative to know the facts; and we have made it easy for you with our dry eye fact sheet.

So, why is being aware of dry eye disease important, you ask? Well, if dry eye is left untreated or undetected, it can be much more than just a bothersome and uncomfortable condition. Untreated, excessive dry eye disease can damage the eye’s delicate tissues and disrupt the cornea, which can ultimately lead to vision impairment or even loss. Permanent scarring on the ocular surface and frequent eye infections can also be a result of undetected dry eye disease. Do not take eye hydration for granted!

In every practice, there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of patients who suffer from some form of ocular dryness. In fact, dry eye disease is the number one reason for eye doctor visits. And while we can’t change the fact that we have dry eye disease, we can limit the environmental factors that aggravate symptoms. Being aware of potential dry eye triggers and becoming familiar with recognizing the symptoms can be exceedingly beneficial.

With so much to know, and so little time to read literature on the topic, how can one be more knowledgeable regarding the proper protocol to detect, ease and avoid dry eye symptoms? Further, who are the unlucky individuals more likely to be plagued with dry eye disease? Know the answers to these questions and the most common do’s and do not’s of dry eye disease to lessen your risk before the problem progresses. Proactively reduce your chances of developing or worsening dry eye symptoms by printing or sharing this child-friendly, educational dry eye fact sheet! Know the basics, your eyes will thank you!

Always see an Accredited Dry Eye doctor for a regular eye examination, or if you think you may have dry eye disease.

September 6, 2012 by All About Dry Eye 

What are polarized sunglasses?

What exactly is polarization? Are all sunglasses polarized? Should they be?


Let's talk a little bit about what polarization is first. When light comes out of a single source, or point source, the light rays come out in an infinite number of directions. Kind of like the light coming from a star or street light. Polarized light is light that is traveling in only one direction or plane.

There are lots of times when polarized light is created naturally. Think of sunlight bouncing off of a snow-covered field or the surface of a pond. There are also lots of times when reflected light is NOT polarized, like the reflection off the chrome bumper of that car that was in front of you this morning on the highway! We can use polarized lenses in our sunglasses to choose exactly which type of light we see.

We can minimize glare while driving by wearing polarized sunglasses. Most reflected light is parallel to the ground; polarized sunglasses will block out these rays, allowing vertical rays to come through the lenses. The same thing is true on the water. When you are boating or fishing you can reduce glare by wearing polarized sunglasses.

Not all sunglasses are polarized. In fact, there times when you DON'T want to have your sunglasses polarized. On the golf course polarization will make everything seem flat. Imagine how hard it would be to putt if you couldn't see the break on the greens!

Come visit us at the sky vision sensors optical to see our polarized sunglasses from Oakley, Nike, Kaenon, and Maui Jim!

Sunglasses For Overcast Or Flat Light

Every daytime lighting condition can provide an opprotunity to enhance your vision by choosing the right kind of sunglasses. Overcast days, whether it's bright or dim, still require UV protection, especially if you are enjoying an outdoor activity like running, biking, skiing, or water sports. Since the amount of light is decreased when it is overcast or cloudy be sure to have a pair of sunglasses that allow a bit more light to come through. The Visible Light Transmission (VLT) should be anywhere from 25 to 50% under these conditions.

The classic sunglass lens color for these conditions is in the YELLOW family. True yellow, amber, orange, and yellow-green all tend to brighten objects in so-called "flat light" circumstances. These colors enhance contrast when bright sunlight is not available, increasing your perception of the environment. All of these lenses are great for Sporting Clays and hunting, and goggles with these colors work great if you are skiing or boarding in overcast conditions.

One of our favorite lenses is the Nike HD Orange. Dr. White likes to wear this one when it's raining. Since we all live in Cleveland he wears this one a lot!!

What Color Lenses For Golf?

Dr. Greg Kaye and Dr. Scott Schlegel represented SkyVision Centers yesterday at the 1st Annual Ken Lee Golf Outing. You may recall that Dr. Lee, was a very close friend of one of our founder's Dr. White and Dr. Lee passed away last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The outing raises money for a lecture series in Dr. Lee's honor. SkyVision was a major sponsor of this year's event and Drs. Kay and Schlegel WON! What a great way to introduce our first sunglass color for golf.

All three of our doctors have been lifelong golfers and they have tried pretty much every type of sunglass lens ever made for golf. One important thing to remember before we even start on color is that polarized lenses may NOT be best for golf. Dr. White has noted that typical polarization will make contours appear to be flatter than they really are. This is particularly of concern on the green when you are trying to read the break on a putt.

The optimal color for a golf lens is one that will make the white golf ball stand out against a green background. The lens should also enhance a golfer's ability to tell the difference between different shades of green, and most importantly the lens should increase the recogition of contour changes all over the golf course. The color that best accomplishes this is lavender or purple, a combination of red and blue nearer to blue.

NikeVision makes the golf lens that all of our doctors have been wearing for at least 7 years. The Nike golf tint is a lavender lens with 28% Visible Light Transmission (medium darkening) that can be worn on sunny and bright overcast days alike. Wearing the Nike golf tint make the white golf ball POP against the green background of the course. All of the doctors have found that it significantly enhances their ability to recognize contour while playing. And of course, the Nike lens essentially blocks all harmful UV rays in order to protect your eyes.

So congratulations to our victorious doctors and the very best of luck to the organizers of the Ken Lee Lecture Series!

Sunglasses? What Color Lens Should I Get?

It's Summer time! We are in the full swing of sunglasses season. We've talked in the past about the importance of protecting your eyes from Ultraviolet light, and we've discussed what polarization is. Let's talk a little bit in general about the color of sunglass lenses, and then over a few posts we can break down some of the specifics of lens color.

All sunglasses limit some part of the natural light that surrounds us from getting into the eye. Visible Light Transmission (VLT) is a measure of how much light gets through in general. The darker the lens the smaller the VLT, and the smaller the VLT the less light gets through. The first thing to think about when you buy sunglasses is how much dimming do you want from your lenses. The brighter your environment (beach, snowfield) the lower you want your VLT.

The next consideration is color. More specifically, what color of light do you wish to filter out with your sunglasses, or what color to you wish to let in? The color of light is determined by its wavelength. A lens can be designed to filter out all wavelengths, or you can choose specific wavelengths or colors to filter out. If you do this you will make the un-filtered colors stand out more.

Most people will do best with general purpose sunglasses that simply decrease all of the wavelenths or colors that come through. Grey or Brown lenses are suggested for this. Grey will be darker, dimming everything. Brown lenses tend to let you keep your sense of colors better than grey. If you are choosing sunglasses for very common tasks like driving you can't go wrong with either Grey or Brown lenses.

Stay tuned for discussions about special use lens colors, coming soon on the SkyVision blog!

Transitions Vantage!

What will they think of next?! The Transitions company has not only brought out some of the coolest photochromatic lenses (lenses that change color depending on light levels) including the DriveWear lens that will darken in a car, but now they have introduced a lens that becomes polarized as it darkens! As the amount of UV light increases and the day gets brighter, the Transitions Vantage lens will not only become darker, it also becomes polarized to decrease the amount of horizontal glare that reaches the eye.

Bright levels of sunlight can cause not only discomfort but also difficulty seeing. A part of this comes from increased glare off on horizontal surfaces like roads, water, snow and ice, and the hood of your car. Polarization decreases this glare by dramatically reducing the reflected light off of these surfaces. Since the reflections increase as it gets brighter the Vantage lens INCREASES the polarization at the same time as it darkens.

Controlling the amount, color, and direction of the light entering the eye can deliver a much higher level of comfort. The Vantage lenses can be put into most fashion frames so that you can continue to enjoy the look you prefer at the same time you enjoy better vision and better comfort! We are all excited about this new lens from Transitions, and now we can't wait for the next cool thing they dream up!!