Transitions Optical has responded to consumer demand for a photochromic lens that features faster fade back without compromising lens darkness, with the launch of its next-generation Transitions Signature lenses.
Available 1 April, Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses have been developed on the back of surveys with more than 76,000 glasses wearers and 4,000 eyecare professionals over five years to determine the key attributes for a photochromic lens.
The new lens design – available across seven lens colours – features a reinvented photochromic system and comes six years after the launch of the previous Transitions Signature VII lenses
Transitions Optical Asia Pacific general manager Mr Stuart Cannon said the research shows glasses wearers and eyecare professionals want it all in a photochromic lens.
“Transitions Optical’s research revealed wearers want a complete and balanced photochromic lens. Transitions Signature VII wearers were also asked which performance attribute they want improved, the definitive feedback was faster fade back without compromising lens darkness,” Cannon said.
“The new Transitions Signature GEN 8 lens is up to three minutes faster to fade back and 30% faster to activate. Not only are the lenses faster, they are even darker than previous Transitions generations.”
Cannon said the challenge with photochromic technology is if one attribute is improved, then another will be compromised.
“For example, if you improve speed then darkness is likely to be compromised,” he said.
“The breakthrough of Transitions Signature GEN 8 lens technology is we’ve improved both speed and darkness without any compromise through a fully reinvented photochromic system, including a reinvented matrix and photochromic dyes.”
According to Transitions Optical, the new lens is the result of five years of research and development involving more than 100 people.
They were developed using new technology that combines “a disruptive nano-composite matrix and a new generation of ultra-agile photochromic dyes”. This is said to result in improved performance without sacrificing any one dimension of performance.
Further explaining the technology, the company said the ultra-agile dyes were developed with expertise gained from designing more than 6,000 photochromic dyes since the 1990s.
“These innovative, new ultra-agile dyes result in improved responsiveness, improved darkness, increased stability and consistency in performance across all colours, and increased longevity of the performance,” the company stated.
Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are available from 1 April 2020 in a range of seven lens colours – sapphire, amethyst, emerald, amber, graphite green, brown and grey.
Cannon added: “Not only is the breakthrough technology inspiring and recruiting new wearers, the range of seven colours allows wearers to experiment with their look by combining Transitions lens colours with different frame styles, colours and textures.”
