Spring Is Coming! Prepare Patients for Seasonal Change with Ultra-Fast SunSync Elite Lenses

Listen, can you hear that? Blades of grass peeking through the snowy landscape, trees awakening from a dull and leaf-less sleep…spring is almost here, and like any new season, spring brings change. Temperatures warm and our daily activities shift from more inside time to more outdoor time, especially for parents with children on spring break. Change can also bring opportunities for practices dispensing SunSync^® Elite Light-Reactive lenses (photochromics) that can better protect eyes from that big ball of fire that’s been hiding for a few months.

Let’s Talk about the Weather

Our last blog covered the importance of photochromic lenses during winter and how extreme temperatures can affect performance. Now that things are heating up, similar principles apply but in a different way. The industry standard temperature for measuring photochromic performance is about 73° Fahrenheit. Much lower or much higher temperatures can affect how the lenses perform due to the photochromic dyes that, when exposed to UV light, open up to turn clear lenses dark and close to turn dark lenses clear. Depending in which part of the country you are located, 73 degrees can be an average temperature in spring, meaning wearers will experience optimal performance.

“Patients may notice slight changes in performance in really high temperatures and really low temperatures in all photochromics,” notes Jason Gentile, SunSync Product Manager, VSP Optics. “Comfortable outside temperatures closer to 70 degrees like what we see in spring are where performance will be at its best, so spring is an excellent time to recommend light-reactive lenses.” 

Here Comes the Sun!

Sunnier weather may be kite-flying,  bike-riding loads of family fun, it also means more exposure to UVA and UVB rays, that imperceptible threat we don’t realize we’re vulnerable to until we look in the mirror and see sunburned faces. Eyes need protection from UV rays too, because long-periods of exposure to UV can lead to cataracts and other vision-related issues. However, traversing from inside to outdoors as we do in the spring and summer months means constantly switching from eyeglasses to prescription sunglasses.

“The kids may be on break but I’m not, and I find myself going from indoors to outdoors constantly. Before I switched to SunSync, I had a pair of prescription eyeglasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses and one of them always seemed to be missing. Now I have one pair and life is a little simpler.”
̶  Linda A., Los Angeles, CA 

In addition to the single-pair convenience, SunSync Elite offers 100% UV protection and excellent blue-light reduction for those indoor moments when patients are on their computers, tablets or phones. However, the most significant benefit of SunSync Elite and what separates it from other brands is the impressive fade-back speed— 2X faster than the competition in fact.¹ Slow fade-back speed is the number one pain point for photochromic skeptics and why some patients will inevitably say, “No thanks!”

From the Mountains to the Prairies

Spring break is also a time for families to hit the roads to visit national parks, museums or to thaw out in warmer climates such as Florida or Arizona. This means road tripping and long periods behind the wheel. SunSync Drive XT offers many of the same benefits of SunSync Elite but retains a tint behind the windshield, something most photochromics cannot do. This is because the package of photochromic dyes in SunSync Drive XT react to wavelengths of both UV and visible light. It’s worth noting that modern car windshields do a great job of filtering out UV rays, but side windows, rear windows and moon roofs generally do not. 

While SunSync Drive XT offers fast fade back, it is not as fast as SunSync Elite. However, the lenses are ultra-dark outdoors and a perfect choice for patients who prefer a dark sunglass tint. SunSync Drive XT also provides 100% UV protection and excellent blue light reduction.

Sol-mates: Photochromic Lenses and Polarized Sunglasses

The convenience of one pair for indoors and out is a big seller, but as eye care consultants, it is important to recommend a pair of polarized sunglasses as a complement to an everyday pair. Light-reactive lenses and polarized sunglasses are a perfect couple, especially for longer car rides where there is exposure to excessive glare or while skiing or fishing where the sun intensely radiates off the surface. Polarized lenses are chemically treated to filter out horizontal light that can cause glare and visual discomfort.  

So, as we say goodbye to old man winter and hello to spring, take some time to learn more about SunSync Elite and SunSync Drive XT or ask for a free personalized demo so you can pass along the knowledge the next time light-reactive lenses are on the dispensing table. 

Wait, do you hear that? Could summer be far behind?

1. t½F of SunSync Elite in polycarbonate is 51 seconds at 73.4°.