Sunglasses with graduated tint

[marioair]

Hi All

Does anyone know which manufacturers do the following sunglasses:

Non Polorized
Graduated Tint
Prescription

Been told that Oakley and Serengeti can't do them??

[znww5]

I'd try some of the on-line places such as glasses direct and similar operations, they usually have quite a large range.

[marioair]

I know most places can custom order the lense e.g. Zeiss/Nikon....just wanted to see if any frame manufacturer do it themselves e.f. Oakley, Tag, Seregenti

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi marioair,

The answer is simple. Almost any highstreet optician, (perhaps excepting the cheapo ones such as Specsavers et al, who probably wouldn't wish to be bothered with complex requirements). You do need to go to an upmarket optician that specialises in giving top class personal service.

My last sunglasses were provided by my optician (in Cobham, Surrey). They provided me with glasses in a 'smart metal' frame, (which would go back to their original shape if accidentally sat upon,) with anti-UV, anti-scratch, anti-reflection coatings on large-size, prescription varifocal lenses.

The lenses were tinted to my requirements. To do this, I pointed out the upward angles where I wanted a heavy tint, the middle angles, where I look through the windscreen and wanted a mid tint, and the lower, instrument panel and lower, angles where I wanted no tint at all.

Yes, they were pricey. I don't recall what the price was as this was a few years ago, but today you probably won't get much change out of a couple of hundred quid.

If you want the details of my optician PM me.

'Hope this helps.

BP.

[phiggsbroadband]

Hi Marioair, I don't know if it is just me, or a co-incidence, but when I wore a pair of graduated sunglasses, they always gave me an eye-strain headache.

I thought this was caused by my eyes constantly adjusting from dark to light as I looked through the different shades of tint. Also when you lower and raise your head, your eyes look though an altering tint, and keep adjusting their apertures accordingly. After an hour or so this proved too much of a work-out for my eye muscles.

[PPRuNeUser0179]

Hi Marioair

As far as I know,you can get a pair of Polarized from Oakley and then just order a pair of Non Polarized lenses and change the lenses.
Excuse me if this has already been advised.

Dan

[marioair]

Does anyone actually use graduated tint?? I am thinking your eyes will be working hard as it constantly changes from the instrument panel (bright) to the horizon....??

am i wasting money on graduated tint??

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi marioair,

I used the sunglasses I have described above regularly for several years without any problems, (I had to give up flying in 2008 for financial among other reasons). If I was able to return to flying I should certainly order more. This would be necessary as I have had cataract operations since and would now need a new prescription.

I think the key, in my case, was that I was a regular user of varifocals. With those you get used to limiting the degree to which you lower your head to read, you then rotate your eyes downward to read printed text through the lower part of the lenses.

So in the cockpit, instead of lowering your head to look at charts or other thing inside the cockpit, you would lower your head slightly, and then rotate your eyes downward.

It sounds involved, but in fact it is quite natural and you will get used to it very quickly.

I don't see any problem (other than cost)!

Regards,

BP.

[marioair]

Thanks, the issue is that i havent found a manufacturer that does graduated tint - only opticians that will put in after market lens

[172driver]

I use exactly what you describe, in a bi-focal version. The lower part is almost clear (instrument panel) while the upper is, well, darker. Works a treat, have been using them for years. Mine were done by an optician who put the glasses in a RayBan Aviator frame which I had (and used with the original lenses before my eyes started to deteriorate). On word of advice, if you need bifocals: make sure the near-vision inset sits at the correct height. The manufacturers of these lenses are used to making them for driving, where the near-vision part is small and sits very low. My optician had send mine back twice, as the manufacturer apparently thought his prescription was an error.

[Miserlou]

I have a pair of Serengeti prescription sunglasses with Drivers Gradient lenses.

I ordered them online from a UK store but don't remember which.

[rkgpilot]

I have a pair of Tag sunglasses, exactly as you describe.

As has been said, you need to talk to a quality optician - preferably one who understands the special requirements of flying.

[Heady1977]

There is a group called FARSIGHT that produce sunglasses for glider pilots.

OfCourse! Ltd - Product Innovation (http://www.ofcourseltd.com/)

Might be what you are looking for & worth looking into them further.

A few glider pilots I know use them and seem to like them.

[aditya104]

Has anyone here used polycarbonate lenses? If yes, please share your opinion. Do you recommend it?

[riverrock83]

I hear they don't tint as well as other materials and the optical quality isn't quite as good, although they are impact resistant. They also scratch easily so you need a scratch resistant coating. They are lighter than other materials.

I don't know what material mine are although I'd guess bog standard plastic. They are relatively heavy.