From Clear to Sunglasses: The Story of Transitions® Lenses

Imagine one pair of glasses that adapts as you move through your day—clear indoors, then darker when you step into the Kansas sunshine. That convenience is powered by decades of innovation.

The story began in the early 1960s, when Corning scientists William H. Armistead and S. Donald Stookey developed photochromic glass. Their invention used tiny silver-halide crystals that reacted to ultraviolet light, darkening the lens outdoors and returning it to a clearer state away from UV exposure. Corning introduced photochromic eyewear to consumers during that decade. The scientists’ foundational U.S. patent was filed in 1962 and granted in 1965.

The next major leap came in 1991, when Transitions Optical commercialized photochromic technology in lightweight plastic lenses. Instead of silver crystals, modern plastic lenses use specialized organic molecules that temporarily change structure when activated by light. As the light changes, the lenses adapt with it. Today’s Transitions® lenses build on that science with faster performance, more lens options and a variety of stylish colors. You can learn more about the technology directly from Transitions Optical.

Of course, advanced lens technology works best when your glasses are made and fitted specifically for you—and that is where Specs Eyewear makes the difference.

With locally owned stores in Wichita and Hutchinson, Specs gives you something an online checkout simply cannot: a knowledgeable team that guides you through the entire process. We help you choose the right frame and Transitions® lens option, fit the glasses to your face, take precise measurements with state-of-the-art technology and make sure everything sits exactly where it should.

Your glasses should not merely look good in a product photo. They should look and feel right on you.

Stop by Specs Eyewear in Wichita or Hutchinson today. We’ll help you find the right frames, the right fit and the right Transitions® lenses for the way you live.