Ever wished your contact lenses could turn dark to help shade the sun's brightness when you walked outside? Well, the new Acuvue Oasys Transitions contact lenses do just that! Coastal Vision is one of the first practices in Hampton Roads to receive fitting sets for these exciting new lenses.
This is the first contact lens to incorporate Transitions technology already used in glasses. Officially called "Acuvue Oasys with Transitions Light-Intelligent Technology," it can change darkness levels depending on the amount of UV light exposed to your eyes. Indoors, where there is no UV light (usually), the lens maintains a very low level of light filtering. And while this won't be noticeable to other people, the contact lenses will be filtering UV light AND blue light. We know blue light from digital devices to be a source of eye strain and sleep disruption. Indications are this base level of light filtering in these lenses may also help cut down on the brightness of lights while driving at night. So, even in an "unactivated state," these lenses are doing some serious work!
Of course, when you go outside, that's when you'll see the greatest impact. When going outdoors the UV light from the sun will activate Acuvue Oasys Transitions lenses to turn darker. Within a few seconds, the brightness of the sun's light will be reduced to provide a more comfortable visual experience while outdoors. And, the lenses are blocking 100% of UV-A and UV-B light, which we know can cause damage to the inside of your eyes.
The big question we hear is "do these replace sunglasses?" No! Acuvue is quick to point out in their own online materials that sunglasses should still be worn because the areas not covered by the contact lens are still being exposed to UV light. The eyelids and surrounding ocular surface are very common locations for melanomas and carcinomas that are detrimental to eye and overall health. Sunglasses can help reduce the risks for cancers in those areas.
If you are a current patient and curious if you are a good a candidate for these new lenses, be sure to give us a call (757) 426-2020 or email info@coastalvisionva.com and we'll be happy to help. If you are a new patient and want to learn more, contact us or "request an appointment" to meet with one of our optometrists.