Question for Those Who Wear Glasses

I bought a pair of sunglasses at Walgreens that fits over my regular glasses. Much more cost effective than prescription sunglasses. I love them.

My dad had a sunglasses attachment that clipped this his glasses, he also had sunglasses he could wear over his prescriptions, so much cheaper. When I wore glasses I had transitions but hated them... that was years ago and they are much better now. Now, I wear contacts.

I am like that.
I have prescription glasses.... for both near and far vision.
I also have it in Transition lenses.
I am sensitive to light.
It works out REAL well, for me.

I used to have... 2 pairs. One for inside, and one for outside (ie: prescription sunglasses).But it was a hassle. Always having to switch glasses whenever I was out/driving, then in a store or mall or back in the house. Always having to switch glasses back and forth, was a PAIN.

Thus, my Transition lenses for my prescription glasses, are perfect.
I LOVE it.

I now purchase my eye glasses through this website. You will notice the prices are so reasonable, so you can have an assortment.

http://www.zennioptical.com/

This will allow you to have fun pairs of sunglasses and maybe a couple of pairs of glasses. Having a choice makes me feel better about having to wear glasses.

You will need a prescription from your Optometrist.

I felt the same way about glasses on my face (plus I have a small face so only kids frames fit me well...so I HATED frame shopping.) luckily I found a pair I liked in adults that went well with my face(a little more pricey that I wanted to pay), but I'm glad cuz now I dont wear my contacts regardless of where I go.:)
Also, I don't know about you, but my eyes are 85% less sensitive with glasses than they were with contacts, and now i've been wearing my glasses for a whole year straight, and i dont think I am even a bit sensitive to the light(maybe 5% which I think is normal). So my personal diagnosis was: contact solution was the reason my eyes were that sensitive. :)
So to answer your real question:
I wear transition lenses, and it has its pros and cons. the good thing is, you dont have to remember to carry the "other" glasses or clip ons with you at all times. The bad thing is, it doesnt get dark enough (and I dont know if its becasue I didnt get the darkest or not cuz there are 3 or 4 levels i think) anyway, your transitions do not work while you're in the car, so its a bit of a pain. lastly, when you go inside from the sun, it takes a few moments to transition back to clear, you won't notice as much of a difference, but people looking at you can tell your lenses are still "dark" lol. Although there are "negative" aspects, I ordered the transitions second time as well.
I know this is long, but I hope it helps...good luck!!!!

I was legally blind for 25 years before I got Lasik. Now I can buy the $12 cheapo sunglasses. ;o)

Just an alternate suggestion.

I have glasses and the polarized sunglasses in my persciption. I also have to have sunglasses... the polarized are great because if I am running in and out of my house or stores I can usually still see well with them on even indoor. Although I may look alittle crazy walking around the grocery store with sunglasses on ;) I never had transition lenses but my mom does and she seems to like them too.The only thing that is bad about those is it is hard to see like the cell phone screen with them on. I tend to have to look overtop of the frames to see who is calling or reply to a text but that maybe true with all sunglasses and I just don't know it! I would rather wear contacts too (I actually want the lazer eye surgery but....) my eyes are super sensitive and very dry so wearing contacts for more than 2 hours or so is unbearable (no matter the brand) just make sure you get really cute fashionable frames that you can wear more like an accessory than a necessity. That is what I always do. Love my Vogue glasses from Target. Hope this helps :)

My eyes have always been super sensitive to the sun. I need my sunglasses or I can't drive in daylight. I also like my sunglasses dark with big lenses, and my regular glasses lightweight and small lenses.
I tried the transition lenses and did not care for them. For me they didn't get dark enough. Like if my visor was down and it wasn't extremely sunny on my face they didn't transition all the way. If that makes sense. It would happen all the time. Like when you go for a walk and there are trees to provide shade, then there are sunny spots inbetween. The lenses would constantly change, go light when i was in shade, then go dark when I was in sun. It was annoying.
When I could afford it I would buy two pairs. The last time I purchased I could only afford my regular glasses. I found out my sunglasses were so big they were able to fit right over them. So I just wore two pairs when outside. No one ever noticed lol. My friend just bought the clip-on ones and she is thrilled with those. There are definately cheaper options.
Good Luck, hope this helps!

My understanding is that your transitions glasses will not work inside - that includes cars. So my thoughts were, why bother. So I am constantly going from glasses to sunglases and back. Such a PIA. I want lasik - one day.

I have done both. I wasn't very happy with the transitions lenses...but that technology may have improved since I had mine (ohhhh 6 years ago?). I now buy 2 pairs, one regular, and one prescrip sunglasses (with polarization). It can be annoying sometimes if you do a lot of in/out activity. (Running errands in the car and swapping out as you go into a store, or before you get out of the car, and then back again at each stop). But I found the transitions ones more annoying. I don't want my glasses to cover half my face, so if you get the transitions lenses, then you don't really get adequate coverage from the sun... it creeps in around the sides and bottom of the lenses. I usually wait until they offer a special for "buy any 2 pairs" or whatever b/c I, too, have a high prescription and have to upgrade to ultralight lenses to make them tolerable to wear. My most recent pair(s) came out to around $375 total, but I have insurance for the eye exam.
I wear my regular lenses all day every day (except rare occasions when I wear my contacts), and my sunglasses only when I go somewhere in the car. I just keep my sunglasses in my car console in a hard case. :)

My daughter wears glasses and transitions just took too long to adjust, espically with extremes (ie: out of a dark movie theater and into full sun outside). She's done the wrap around/ snap on the frame sunglasses too and got frustrated with having to take those on and off. For her its just easier to have a set of prescription sunglasses too. She actually has four pairs - two normal everyday glasses, bifocals for reading/schoolwork and prescription sunglasses. I'd actually like to get her a complete second set, but don't have the funds to do so, even with sales.

Ditto about the buying glasses when they are on sale. And shop around. Don't think that your optometrist/ophthalmologist's "store" is the best buy. I've often found that a good sale at lenscrafters, pearlvision, or the vision store at the local walmart have the best prices (and warranties!). And the walmart vision centers often have a sale of some sort going - espically now with school starting again. Also if your prescription changes and your frames are still in reasonable condition, consider reusing your frames.

my mom has the trasnistions and she loves them and would never go back to regular lenses personally I hate the transistions and can only wear regular glasses, my eyes are not too bad so i can just go without for the most part but when i am outside n sunny i wear my contacts and put my sunglasses on

I have transition lenses and prescription sunglasses. I've gone years with only the transitions and am glad that I got the additional sunglasses. The transitions just do not get dark enough for when I'm out and about in the sun. I especially like them for driving when the transitions don't get dark because they're out of the sun.

I added the sunglasses when I kept reading about protecting the eyes from the sun to prevent macular degeneration which runs in my family.

I used regular sunglasses that fit over my glasses for years and found that to be more of a hassle than having prescription sunglasses. They were always scratched and not very comfortable. I'm glad I went to prescription sunglasses. I use a chain to hook whichever pair I'm not wearing on to when I'm in and out of stores.

I, too, loved my contacts. As I grew older my eyes got too dry for contacts. Guess this is common.

I keep them separate.. Contacts..I have two pair of glasses I got on sale and a pair of prescription sun glasses. Yep a lot to juggle but I am very careful and deliberate about keeping track of them.

Hi!

I sympathize with you as I also have really vision and am not a candidate for LASIK. I recently got a new pair of glasses that came with magnetic clip ons. They look nicer than the average clip-ons because they are the exact size of the glasses. The frame says easyclip patented technology if that helps - I got them at Tice Valley Optical in walnut Creek. Apparently they don't make the transition lenses in my prescription either so this way I get 2 pairs of glasses (i.e. sun glasses being the 2nd pair) all in one frame. I hope that helps.

J. F.

My husband wears glasses when he drives and he has a pair that you clip the sunglasses on (my Mom does this too). That seems to work really well - I would think the transitions would be annoying - transitioning even if you don't want them to.

I would definitely get contacts. I've been wearing them for 20 years and would be miserable without them. I also hate the feeling of glasses on my face. Also the glasses that are a "cool" style don't have a lot of lens coverage so whenever I look down (like going down stairs or reading) it's all blurry. ugh.

I got the transitions. But if you're one of those people that need really dark sunglasses, 1 pair of each would probably be good.

Wish I could afford TWO pair...if you can and you have the insurance..DO IT!

For those of you who can not.....get a few pair of readers....

Blessings..

I wear prescription glasses all of the time and I have both the regular and the sunglasses. My prescription fortunately does not change much so I try to stretch my glasses out so that I can alternate when I get new ones as my insurance covers new frames every other year. I have also replaced the lenses in existing frames if the Rx changes. Costco also has less expensive options. There are great frames out there that are really light and you don't notice them as much when you're wearing them. Also, go to a good eye doctor's office and they should be able to help you choose a style that suits your face shape. Or take a friend along to help you choose. Good luck!

I've had both transition lenses and regular lenses plus prescription sunglasses, and personally, I prefer the transition lenses. While the transition lenses don't usually get as dark as the prescription sunglasses (depends on what color sunglass lenses you get), I prefer them to having to switch glasses whenever I go inside or outside. If you get transition lenses and they don't get dark enough for you, you could always get a pair of OTC clip ons and put over them.

Get the transitions lenses. Fooling around with two pair is a pain in the butt. I have worn glasses for fifty years now, and have never been able to wear contacts because of astigmatism. I am wearing a pair of frames now I have worn for at least the last five years. They are titanium, very light, tough and flexible, and they're just the ear and nose pieces--- they're rimless. They were very expensive, but they've been worth it, because I've been able to put several changes of prescription into the same frames.

I have tried all of the above.

Transitions were great but I too have super sensitive eyes in the sun and they just didn't cover my eyes enough to really to much good. But I like not having to have another pair of glasses.

Last time I bought one pair of regular and one pair of sunglasses. Six weeks after I was out in the yard working and the sunglasses felll...couldn't see them and crunch!

So now I go to the dollar store buy ultra big $1 sunglasses make sure they go over my regular glasses and voila...I am as happy as can be. Each car has it's own pair, so no worries about forgetting them. Pair in the house and I get multiple colors! (couple pairs in my purse too).

What I do is use wrap-around sunglasses. I tried getting 2 prescriptions, and found I got really frustrated when I couldn't read well in the sunglasses, and also just having to change glasses all the time. Several drug stores, and your local eyeglasses place will have wrap-arounds that go over your regular glasses. And they are fashionable, not looking like granny glasses. I find several benefits, one being that they shade much more of my eyes - I now have coverage over the tops of my eyes, and to the sides. Glare really bothers me, and this makes a HUGE difference. It's also way cheaper (only about $30 a pair) for the wrap-arounds than for a 2nd set of prescription glasses.

I just got the transitions lenses for my new glasses for the first time and they seem to work pretty well - they don't make anything super dark but they do provide enough shade that I am comfortable in full sun. My husband has had them for a while and likes them but after a couple of years they may not work as well. I typically wear contacts so I have regular sunglasses for when I am wearing them.

My eyes are very sensitive to light as well and I have a reg pair of & prescription sunglasses. I had the transistions but they were never dark enough for me. Once I got the sunglasses, I wondered how I had got by for so long w/out them. Presription sunglasses is defintely the way to go!

I own Gucci glasses with transition lenses, one pair for so many years. Checking in with my eyesight exam every year for the lens adjustment. I'm also looking into LASIK. I'm in trouble when I forget my glasses I squint a lot and cant see while driving. LASIK, Safety 1st and preventing from wrinkles squinting my eyes so much. I'm sorry to hear you can't do LASIK.

At Walmart (and other retailers) you can buy a pair of sunglasses called "Solar Shields". They are made to fit over your prescription glasses. They come in various shapes and sizes so that you can find something that matches up well with your prescription frames. I am not sure if anyone ever notices that I am actually wearing 2 pairs of glasses nor has anyone ever commented that I look ridiculous.

Get one set of glasses with regular lenses and also snap-on or magnetic sunglasses made specifically for your glasses. Before lasik this was a fantastic combination for me many times over... and I'm very sensitive to bright light like you. The transitions lenses didn't seem to get darke enough outside or light enough inside but may have improved in the past handful of years.

I have transitions and love them. the only problem is sometimes it takes about 5 seconds for them to lighten out when you go inside. I don't like my current frames and will change frames later. Try on different frames till you find a pair you like. The only thing I hate is they fog up in the winter going from inside to out.

Personally, I much prefer the transition lenses. They work perfectly for me.

My husband is extremely sensitive to light, and he buys regular sunglasses that are made to just wear over your glasses. They aren't very fashionable, but he says they're comfortable. You can get them at Wal-Mart.

If I could afford prescription sunglasses, I would buy them.

as noted by others, the transitions do not get as dark as regular sunglasses. My husband has glasses with a neat magnetic clip on attachment. If you are mostly worried about having 2 completely different sets of glass that is an option. It also definitely costs less than 2 prs.

I have had prescriptions sunglasses before, and many times you can find deals like buy one get one free where you can get a regular pair and a dark pair. For myself, I was always losing or scratching my sun glasses, so it is better for me to have contacts. I still where my glasses most days, but if I will be outside in the sun a lot I put on my contacts and where cheap sunglasses. I use the daily disposable contacts so I don't have to worry about cleaning or storing them since I only where them occasionally.

I found juggling the glasses and sunglasses a pain, so I got Transitions. I don't find they are dark enough for beachwear or really bright noon light but generally they are a convenient option. Not sure what I will do when i change my prescription!

I have prescription sunglasses and then regular lenses. I wait til there's a special and get sunglasses. I, too, have a high prescription. If you have a sensitivity to light, I'd get transitions. That way you always have them and they automatically change. My mom has them and likes them.

My son had transitions, he liked them but kept getting in trouble at school cause after a while they don't transition all the way anymore. He went to a private school that didn't allow the kids to wear sun glasses in school. :(

My husband has a prescription pair of sunglasses and his regular pair. I still have perfect eyes. *knocks on wood*

I purchase glasses & sunglasses. It is expensive, though. I don't know how much Transition(?) lenses cost. I don't know what the best deal would be.

For my son I buy transitions lenses, because he would lose separate sunglasses. I usually get frames that have sunglasses that clip on with magnets. Since they come with the frames, they fit exactly, and with our insurance they were about the same price as regular frames.

I've been really surprised by how expensive and hard to get the thin lenses are. Walmart had a $30 per lens surcharge for high prescriptions and didn't tell me ahead of time. Another place I went would take a whole month to have the lenses made. The one hour place used to take at least a week, but now don't sell them at all. The place I went last year has doubled the price even with insurance. Just for the lenses(not including frames) it would be over $300.

I have two regular pair of glasses and a pair of Rx sunglasses - I LOVE my Rx sunglasses. I want to get another pair as I am paranoid about losing them. But mostly I wear contacts anyway. My Rx is probably worse than yours (-7.5) so I need what I call the "diet" lenses as well. If you belong to BJs they have good deals on eyewear.

I decided to go w/transitions this time b/c we do a lot of outdoor stuff & it's just more convenient but honestly, there are some things I don't like about them compared to when I used regular prescription sunglasses. My mom had the transitions when they first came out & she said hers eventually stopped turning back 'normal' when she'd go back in so she went w/reg prescription sunglasses the next time. I haven't experienced that just yet but when I get into the car to go somewhere, they lighten up so I hafta put on extra sunglasses on top of my transitions & that can be a nuisence sometimes b/c I expect my transitions to be 'good enough' to do the job & so far, they're not what I expected. Also, while they darken really good, I still hafta shield my eyes from the sun b/c it's still too bright w/o extra sunglasses on depending on how cloudy it is. Sometimes they're good enough w/o extra sunglasses but most of the time, so far, I hafta use them. Even though it's annoying having to swap out glasses w/the sunglasses, I liked the prescription sunglasses better in that respect b/c they didn't seem to have the same problem of not being dark enough...I got the super dark blue lenses for my 'sunglasses' & they worked so much better than my transitions for sunglasses. My transitions only came in gray or brown & I got gray which was disappointing b/c I like the darker, the better. I've had to use my husbands bulky looking oversized sunglasses that are polarized to wear over my glasses b/c they're the only ones we've found that fit comfortably over eyeglasses & cut the brightness of the day. I do love the convenience of transitions but if you're having eye issues that need special care, I'd suggest going w/the prescription sunglasses simply b/c of my experience w/both & I may go w/prescription sunglasses instead next time since I'm still having to use double sunglasses anyway. They DO make clip on shades that clip onto your wire-framed glasses. I have some & they work REALLY well...have no bad reports about them plus they're smaller & easier to mess with & tote around so maybe that will be an option for you?? My new glasses are plastic framed this time b/c we go fishing & swimming, etc so I thought plastic would be a better way to go for that. Hope this helps! If you feel I can help w/any questions you may have, I'll be glad to help. Good luck!

I tried getting two pair of glassses and whenever I put on the sunglasses, I would always get dizzy. I don't know if the tinting changed the prescription a little or not, but I bought the two pair of glasses (one regular, one sunglasses) and I NEVER wear the sunglasses. I'd rather buy a clip-on piece to wear on top of my regular glasses. Those don't make me dizzy.

So what do I do? Nothing. I never wear sunglasses. I squint, use my hand to cover my face, wear a hat, etc.

My dad has the transition lenses. I think they look weird b/c when he's in a mixed light, they're slightly tinted and I think it just looks strange. I'd prefer either totally clear or totally dark, but not the in-between.

I've had glasses for 28 years (I'm 31 yrs old) so am used to them. I considered contacts shortly, but was not a fan of poking myself in the eye and dealing with contacts and solution, etc. An eye doctor told me that my left eye has such poor vision, it'd be best to wear glasses to protect my good right eye from any flying debris. Made sense to me! If I lose sight in my right eye, I will be legally blind, so I protect it as best I can.

good luck finding something to suit your needs!

I just went through a similar decision, so I'll give you my thought process. I am very near-sighted and have worn contacts for several decades. I don't like glasses either. Now that I'm older I also need reading glasses, so I don't want to have to go with bifocals or progressive lenses or all of those difficult prescription changes. I keep a lot of cheap reading glasses lying around home and work that I can pick up when I need them. Otherwise, I just use contacts.

Recently, my eye doctor talked me into getting a pair of glasses as a back-up to my contacts, and also because I'm starting to have a little bit of trouble with my vision while driving at night. So, she suggested transition lenses, but (like you), I'm sensitive to light and the transition lenses are NOT like wearing sunglasses during the day. I also did not like the idea of the darker lenses if I'm wearing them at night.

I ended up getting regular lenses, but I picked a frame that features sunglasses that clip on magnetically to the frame over the glasses. This option is not as geeky as the old style clip-on sunglasses and the metal frame looks reasonably stylish. Now, if I'm driving with glasses at night I can just use them as is. If I need them during the day I can clip on the sunglasses and off I go. This is much cheaper than buying two pairs of glasses.

So, that's another option for you to consider. Good luck.

I got tired of switching from sunglasses to regular glasses when going in and out of store and such, so I got transitions. Have had them for 2 years, and they don't get as dark as sunglasses - so that was an adjustment, especially in the bright, bright summers down here. Plus, they don't stay dark in the car with the tinted windows, and they do take a little bit to un-transition when I go indoors.

Honestly, my prescription needs to be renewed soon and I will get new, regular lenses for my frames and a pair of Rx sunglasses this time. I think I would rather switch back and forth again.