But these aren’t a panacea, either: they require electricity to operate (usually in the form of rechargeable batteries), they tend to be a bit bulky and heavy, and there are more limitations in terms of tints. These are far more responsive, instantly lightening or darkening depending on how much power is applied to the film. More recently, some brands have begun playing with electrochromic setups, using an embedded liquid crystal panel in the lens (kind of like what you’d find in a monochrome GPS cycling computer screen). However, despite some progress in the technology, they’re still relatively slow to adjust, especially when moving from brighter to darker conditions (which, ironically, is often when you need that transition speed the most). Photochromic options have been nice in that they’re offered in a good selection of tint colors and visible light transmission (VLT) ratings, and they’re relatively inexpensive (especially as compared to buying multiple individual lenses).

However, while the concept holds a lot of promise, the real-world delivery has a little ways to go yet.Įyewear companies have long been chasing the idea of a single lens that could work in a very wide range of conditions. It’s a super slick idea, and the technology is truly ingenious given there are no batteries required. POC’s latest eyewear innovation incorporates a solar-powered liquid crystal panel in the lens that instantly darkens or lightens depending on the conditions.

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