Prescription glasses, transition lenses vs clip on sunglasses?

As mentioned, transition lenses need UV rays to transition and won’t work in a vehicle. I have regular glasses, sunglasses, and a backup pair of glasses. If you can only afford glasses and clip on sunglasses right now then that’s all you can do. I wore clip ons for years and didn’t get prescription sunglasses until this last summer.

 

I paid about $500 for mine at Walmart. Transition, bifocal, (no lines)anti glare lens. It’s my second pair and I use my first as a backup cause when a screw comes loose and a lens lands in the road it shuts you down from driving. A little spendy but I have some insurance help. I believe good vision is more important than anything in my driving. My transition glasses darken behind the wheel easily. No worries! My experience only; yours may vary

 

My last pair was $95 from Glasses – Glasses Online – Prescription Glasses | Zenni Optical

That's a nice frame, thin lenses with blue block. Sunglasses would have been about $50.

 

Yes I clean forgot the transitions holding steady inside the vehicle. It's temperature and light dependant I think.

Darkens beautfiully when outside in the bright snow.

However. I use wrap around dark lenses for day and shooting glasses yellow at night also wrap around.

 

yeah I think the factory tint and UV blockers in all vehicles windows keeps the transitions from actually transitioning in a vehicle. Sucks my safety glasses are useless in the truck

 

Check out www.39dollarglasses.com No prescription needed from eye doctor. You pick out what you want and tell them your prescription. I've bought 4 pairs from them. They have transition lenses too

 

I have transition lenses on both pair of glasses I have, plus dark glasses for bright light driving.

My transition lenses darken in one car and my pickup, it does not darken in the older Prius with ceramic if blocker.

 

I can tell you from personal experience you will need backup glasses. You don't have to buy new prescription sunglasses. My eye doc had a device in his office that would "tint" regular glasses and make them into sun shades. Because I bought the glasses form him he did not charge anything extra. Please use some common sense and take some advice from somebody that has already been down that road. Most eye doctors that also have a glasses shop can tint regular glasses. If you don't have backup glasses go get a cheap pair of backups and get them tinted. <<exactly what I finally did!

If you are going to use contacts as your primary vision correction I think it is silly to put out a lot of cash on something you won't be using that much. As with most everything related to the human body consult your eye care professional.

 

The reason I like clip-ons better than a pair of sunglasses, is the ease with which I can flip the clip-ons up out of the way when I need to see something clearly. Less light to my old eyes means I cant see as well.
On a partly cloudy day, I may flip the lens up when I am driving in an area shaded by trees or a building.

For these reasons I would not buy a pair of prescription sunglasses. YMMV.

 

After reading my first comment I noticed it was a bit confusing. My main point was most people that wear contacts ALREADY have backup glasses. I actually had more than a pair. You can get an old pair "tinted" for just a small amount. I can't tell from your post if you are a new driver or a local driver about to go OTR. Trust me on this. Don't be fooling around with your vision at the same time you are training. Those things don't mix well.

The flip on sunglasses are OK, I have used them but to be honest, I found them to be a bit heavy and over several hours gave me headaches.

When I was an active driver I wore soft contacts. I had a backup pair of glasses and a backup pair my Eye Doc "tinted". Served me well for years.

 

I do the transitions.