The Optician's Ultimate Guide to Light-Reactive Lenses: Extra Reactive Photochromics

In part one of this three-part series, we took an in-depth look at standard light reactive lenses. In this second installment, we’ll be covering their extra reactive associates.

Answering the Call for Something Extra

Following the creation of standard photochromic lenses, a need eventually arose for a light-reactive lens that got darker outdoors and retained color in the car. Thus, extra reactive, light-reactive lenses were born. 
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​In this installment of our series, we’ll take a deep dive into extra reactive photochromics to explore everything from technology to talking points in the dispensary. Either read through the article or click on one of the following buttons to jump to a section.

• The Technology
• The Benefits
• The Ideal Patient
• Setting Expectations
• Dispensing Tips

How Do Extra Reactive Photochromic Lenses Work?

Extra reactive lenses activate in response to the presence of UV and natural visible light. This results in two important performance differences between them and standard light-reactive lenses: 

1. They get darker outside
2. They work in the car

This makes them a perfect fit for anyone looking to kick up the outdoor comfort and take the show on the road. 

​The question you’re likely asking is, “Why do extra reactives work in the car whereas other photochromics don’t?” Standard light-reactive lenses activate solely in response to UV light. Most car windows are now treated to filter out UV for comfort and safety purposes. Therefore, UV light doesn’t reach the lenses in sufficient quantity to activate a standard photochromic to a noticeable tint. 

Extra reactive lenses on the other hand, activate in response to both UV and natural visible light. This is why they’re able to retain their color inside the car. Even when the car windows filter out the UV light, the natural visible light entering the car keeps the lenses activated. 

Outside the car, extra reactive photochromics achieve the darkest activated level of any light-reactive lens due to a unique combination of light-reactive dyes which respond to both UV and natural visible light.  

What Are the Benefits of Extra Reactive Photochromic Lenses?

Extra reactive light-reactive lenses share benefits with standard photochromics and feature advantages all to themselves. Some of the key benefits include:

In-Car Activation: Extra reactive lenses work in the car, softening bright sunlight and glare. For drivers, this is a major visibility and comfort advantage. 

Convenience: The ability to darken outdoors and in the car, and return to clear indoors, makes extra reactives extremely convenient. This is especially true for occupations like couriers who spend their day quickly moving from inside the car to inside a building, back outside, and in the car again.

Extra-Dark Outdoor Color: Because they get darker than standard light-reactive lenses, extra reactive lenses provide additional comfort, visibility, and blue light defense outside.  

100% UV Protection: Light-reactive lenses protect against UV radiation, which can contribute to a variety of eye conditions, including but not limited to pterygium, cataracts, and cancer. And since light-reactive lenses are commonly combined with a patient’s primary pair of glasses, the wearers’ eyes are protected – even if they forget their sunglasses.

Blue Light Filtration: Blue light, which has been linked to digital eye strain, comes from the sun, as well as digital screens and energy-efficient lighting. Extra reactive, light-reactive lenses  provide superior blue light defense indoors in the clear state and even better defense against blue light from the sun in their darkened outdoor state. This makes them a great choice for everyone from young device users to older patients who ply their trade outdoors.

Indoor Clarity: With advances in technology, some brands of extra reactive lenses, such as SunSync Drive XT, now offer such great clarity indoors, it can be difficult to tell a person is even wearing a photochromic. Be advised, this is not the case with all extra reactives.

Glare Reduction: Extra reactive lenses reduce glare as they darken, and since they work in the car, they provide an added benefit of improved visibility behind the wheel. When you pair them with a premium anti-reflective (AR) coating, you offer your patients even better glare reduction.

Who's the Ideal Patient for An Extra Reactive Photochromic Lens?

As with all photochromics, pinpointing the perfect candidate for an extra reactive lens comes down to understanding your patients’ wants, needs, daily routine, and extracurricular activities. Your old pal, the patient questionnaire, is a great tool for obtaining all of this information. Keep the following factors in mind when matching a patient’s questionnaire answers to an extra reactive light-reactive lens:

Occupation
Due to the in-car activation and darker outdoor color, extra reactive photochromics are a natural fit for patients who spend time behind the wheel. And while that includes professional drivers, the benefits of these lenses extend well beyond that.

• Professional Drivers: Whether it be car, truck, or bus, professional drivers need a lens that offers comfort and clarity on the road. And, while they don’t get as dark as prescription sunglasses, they retain a nice tint in the vehicle and provide a unique visual perspective that’s near-clear looking out of the lens – even when tinted. This offers sharp vision on the road, especially when paired with a premium anti-reflective coating.
• ​Couriers: When you combine the unbelievable growth in app-driven courier services like Lyft, Uber, Grubhub, and DoorDash, with traditional delivery channels like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the Postal Service, it’s easy to see the huge opportunity in matching an extra reactive to a courier.  
• Realtors: If you’ve ever spent a day house hunting, you’re well -aware that realtors are in and out of their car non-stop. And peak property buying season is generally from Spring through Summer when the sun is out. This makes extra reactives a perfect choice since they adjust between the car, outside in the sun, and indoors in the house. The excellent blue light defense with extra reactives is a great bonus since many realtors practically run their business from their phones.
• Inspectors: whether they’re inspecting new construction, homes being purchased, or accidents, inspectors spend their days driving from job to job. And when they’re on-site, they require pinpoint visual precision. Extra reactive light-reactive lenses tick each of these boxes while also providing 100% UV protection outdoors and outstanding durability against scratches and smudging…again, especially when paired with a good anti-reflective coating.

Lifestyle
Extra reactive photochromics are a great fit for a variety of lifestyle activities including:

• ​Outdoor Adventuring: The extra-dark outdoor tint and quick adaptation between changing light conditions make extra reactives a fantastic recommendation for mountain bikers, street cyclists, runners of all surfaces, kayakers – all who need comfort, protection, and the visual clarity to see road, trail, or water hazards in time to avoid them. 
• Daily Commuting: While not technically professional drivers, the hours some daily commuters spend on the road each day, could qualify them for that designation. Extra reactives offer the obvious in-car activation benefit while driving to and from the office, as well as exceptional blue light filtration while in front of their screens at work.
• Parenting – Technically, this could go under occupation, because taking care of just one child is a full-time gig. Piling the kids in the family car to get to school, shop for groceries, get to the doctor, and make it to soccer practice requires a lens that adapts to a multitude of indoor, outdoor, and in-car environments. 
• Gaming: While typically a fit for your more outdoor-oriented patients, the exceptional blue-light-reducing properties of a light reactive lens can’t be overlooked for patients who spend countless hours virtually exploring worlds, rather than actually exploring them.

These are just a few examples. Your questionnaire results will undoubtedly give you clues to other lifestyle activities that lend themselves to an extra reactive lens.

Environment
Because these lenses respond to both UV and natural visible light, their benefits extend beyond environments with high UV levels. The following environments are prime for an extra reactive lens:

• Temperate Climates: Temperature affects darkness, clarity, fade-back, and activation speed across all categories of photochromics. In-car temperature will play a role in the in-car performance of an extra reactive lens. So, locations with more consistently moderate temperatures will result in more reliable in-car performance.
• Reflective Environments: Highly reflective environments on the water or in the snow result in a double dose of UV – one directly from the sun and another bouncing off surrounding surfaces. The extra darkness of a light reactive lens also softens the glare in bright, highly reflective environments.
• High Altitudes: The air up there, technically the atmosphere up there, is much thinner than at lower elevations. The thinner atmosphere provides less natural UV filtration, meaning patients in these areas need a lens that provides total UV protection like a light reactive.  
• Low Latitudes: Areas closer to the equator are also closer to the sun and receive a higher dose of ultraviolet radiation. 

Setting Realistic Expectations Around Extra Reactive Photochromic Lenses

Setting realistic expectations about performance sets the stage for a better wearer experience. When it comes to extra reactive light-reactive lenses, here are a few points to consider:

In-Car Darkness: First things first, extra reactives aren’t intended to be a replacement for prescription sunglasses behind the wheel. They provide a nice level of comfort in the vehicle, but they aren’t designed to be as dark as, or function like, a pair of polarized sunglasses. Several factors can influence how dark they get in the car: 

• Tinted Windows: Because tinted windows reduce the amount of natural visible light coming into the car, the lenses will not get as dark, or may not activate at all.
• In-Car Temperature: As previously discussed, temperature affects activation and deactivation. If the temperature inside the car is hotter, the lenses may not get as dark. And if it’s colder, they can get darker and fade back slower when getting out of the car and going indoors.
• Orientation to the Sun: The lenses will darken more and retain their color better when driving in the direction of the sun. 

Fade-Back Speed: Because extra reactive lenses get darker, they’ll naturally take a little longer to fade back. For quite some time, extra reactive choices were limited to one brand and patients were forced to wait up to 10 minutes to fade back. However, with the introduction of new technology, such as that used in SunSync Drive XT, fade-back times have been cut considerably.  

Lens Material: Different lens materials can impact the overall performance characteristics of almost any light-reactive lens. SunSync Elite is one and only light-reactive lens that uses advanced technology to deliver consistent performance regardless of material choice. 

Tips for Dispensing Extra Reactive Photochromic Lenses

• Answer the big question first - Yes, they retain color in the car!
• Shed light on the benefits of extra dark - Comfort, contrast, and clear vision in bright environments  are all benefits of a darker light-reactive lens. 
• Make it personal - Getting to know your patient more closely allows you to match the unique benefits of the lens to their wants, needs, and lifestyle.  Knowing your patient enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, or running allows you to put them into an extra reactive lens that pairs perfectly with any and all of those pastimes.  
• Key in on the convenience - All light-reactive lenses offer a level of convenience unmatched by any other enhancement, but the ability to keep them on in the car adds an amazing benefit for people who earn their living behind the wheel, or those who spend their days juggling the car keys and the kids.
• Set realistic expectations - Helping a patient understand the impacts to performance, especially in the car, really helps to alleviate any questions, concerns, or frustration once they leave your practice.

Wrapping it Up

Extra reactive light-reactive lenses offer you a solution to one of the biggest pain points among photochromic patients – in-car activation. They also provide an extra dose of darkness outdoors, superior blue light defense, and 100% UV protection, making them a fit for everyone from professional drivers to moms on the go to outdoor enthusiasts. 
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Be sure to read the third and final installment in the series: The Optican's Ultimate Guide to Ultra-Fast Photochromics here.