Though I’m not paid to write this post, but I’m truly passionate to promote the eyewear lens that I’ve been wearing since 9 years ago.
For the past 9 years till now, I’m using Essilor prescription lenses for my spectacles. Why am I so loyal to Essilor lenses, even though the price is slightly above average? Well, simply because of 2 words – superior quality.
Most of the people who are wearing spectacles, I’m sure the majority don’t even bother to find out what exactly the pair of lenses he/she is wearing.
“The shop told me this is multicoated, this is high-index.. that’s all lo..”
Yet the funny thing is, many people seem to be paying different prices for the same specifications – multicoated and high-index, ranging from RM60 to a few hundreds. Aren’t you interested to find out more about the eyewear lenses that directly affect your eyes??
Essilor Products that I’ve Tried
Essilor has many brands for various needs. For example:
- Airwear which provides light, thin and high impact-resistance lenses
- Transitions which provides photochromic lenses (clear indoors and at night but darken outdoors)
- Varilux which provides progressive lenses (I still don’t need it yet :p)
- Crizal, a type of coating innovated by Essilor, which provides no-glare, scratch-resistance and dirt-resistance properties. Crizal is generally available on Airwear, Transitions and Varilux lenses.
Personally, I have satisfying experiences with Airwear and Transitions lenses. As mentioned, these lenses are applied with Crizal coating too.
Essilor Airwear
When I was wearing Nike Flexon rimless prescription frame, I needed a pair of lenses which must be lightweight, thin and durable. Airwear meets all the requirements, and at the same time the polycarbonate material provides impressive impact-resistance properties.
I was given a piece of Essilor Airwear lens, and a piece of brand X polycarbonate lens, together with a hammer (yes, it was a real hammer). With just an easy smash, the brand X polycarbonate lens was broken. However, to my surprise, I couldn’t break the Airwear lens at all, yes, not at all. After a few smashes, there were scratches on the Airwear lens, but it didn’t break!
Because of the Crizal coating, Airwear lenses are very easy to clean too. Even with smudges, the smooth lens surface makes it extremely easy for cleaning. After years, the lens surface is still as smooth as it was.
Essilor Transitions
The disadvantage of wearing prescription frame is that those cool sunglasses are always practically unreachable by me, unless I wear contact lenses. Besides, I don’t like the design of prescription frame with clip-on sunglasses too.
So, the best choice for me is a pair of prescription lenses which is transparent in indoors or at night, and darkens its tint when exposed to UV. And yes, I’m also a happy user of the Transitions photochromic lenses.
These are the advantages of Transitions that have won my loyalty for 2 pairs of Transitions:
- very sensitive, and fast in reacting to even a small change in sunlight condition
- doesn’t turn yellowish over time; still remains as true clear transparent at indoor even after 2 years of usage
Sensitivity to light is a very important evaluation factor for photochromic lenses. I’ve seen friends paying the same price (comparing to Transitions) for other brands of photochromic lenses, and yet not as sensitive to UV density.
So now, regardless of the lighting situation, I don’t even need to bother about it, as the variable tint of my Transitions works very well. I no longer strain my eyes when posing for outdoor photos too!
I’ve introduced Transitions to 3 friends (including blogger Jason Lioh), and all are very satisfied with it.
However, Transitions lens is not all that perfect. The normal Transitions lenses are not durable, and thus not suitable for rimless frames. It might break easily without full frame support. Besides, there’s also no high-index lens for normal Transitions.
If you have budget to fork out RM600 for a pair of lenses, then you can go for Airwear Transitions to solve all the above mentioned weaknesses, which has best combination of both worlds – photochromic property by Transitions and impact-resistance by Airwear. RM600 is not a small price tag to me though.
Fair Price
For your benefits when asking for a quote from local eyewear shop, these are the fair prices for Airwear and Transitions:
- Airwear: around RM260 for prescription power of 450
- Transitions: RM350 to RM380
- Airwear Transitions: RM600
For any price that you’re quoted with, if it falls far above the indicated fair price as mentioned above, then you can say “bye bye” to the shop, and continue getting quotation from others.
Essilor is a considered a branded and high class optical lens, and so some optical shops are taking this opportunity to simply bring up the margin to a ridiculous extend.
Recently I’ve introduced Essilor to Wai Pei. From her experience of getting quotes, the famous optical and eyewear names with many chain-stores are generally ridiculous in their pricing! She was quoted RM100 to RM200 higher than the fair price that I’ve been paying for years. So lesson learned, these famous optical chain-stores couldn’t be trusted in term of fair pricing.
I have a friend who bought a pair of photochromic lenses from a famous optical shop, at RM350. This is the same price I paid for genuine Transitions. However, the pair of photochromic lenses that he’s using is far less sensitive than mine. Its tint is not even dark enough under bright sunlight.
How to Spot a Genuine Essilor Lens?
I’ve contacted Essilor Malaysia to inquire about the way of spotting a genuine Essilor lens, to avoid being cheated, and this was the reply:
For every pair of Essilor purchased will come with a certificate of authenticity. The certificate of authenticity is the proof of the genuine product of Essilor.
Essilor Malaysia, can I be your product ambassador?? hahahhaha
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good article, learn alot of lens now!
you are right, I also not sure what type of lens I’m wearing now.. 
wah… sounds like very good lenses and eye wear… but crap… for the last don’t know how many years, my specs is RM150 and below :P, so definately its brand X… hahahaha
**However, Transitions lens is not all that perfect.
Yep that’s true.
I also found out that the time for the lens to clear from dark to transparent is nearly twice as long as the other direction of action. Its really fast to darken, however takes long to clear.
Even on cloudy days, with the sun hidden, the Transition lens will still darken, its so sensitive that the cloud-diffused UV ray still activates it. Not very helpful when its cloudy.
I’m satisfied esp. during sunny days, but to be on the safe side, I still carry my spare normal specs in my bag ; )
For the past 15 years i kena tipu by them…..
Good informative article. You are like me buddy. Once you like the thing, you become self appointed Brand Ambassador!!!
Bro, u should try Polylite with Teflon coating (polycarbonate 1.59 index version from Carl Zeiss Vision), the properties of the material are the same (since both are polycarbonate), but the coating is way better then Crizal or Crizal Alize in term of cleanability and scratch proof. The price is slightly expensive but its worth to try.
Hi, I’m looking for a new pair of specs for myself. Been to few eyes shops around PJ but most of it charge very expensive for transitions lens.
May I know where I can find to get the fair price of transitions lens you mentioned.
Hope to hear from you soon, as I need to get it real soon.
You can email to me at metro88@hotmail.com
Thank you very much.
I have visited a shop called Creative Vision in Kota Damansara. Pricing there is very reasonable. You may try to contact 012-2958273
Some Shop from my hometown also not bad…
Named “Focal Treasure”…
Near Penang there…^~^
Nice sharing for Essilor product here…^^
May I know the price here is for Transitions IV or Transitions V lens? Is Transitions V lens already available in Malaysia?
Anymore shops around KL which offer fair price?
Thanks owner for you sharing.
For your reference. Hope it helps.
I made my new glasses at Bolton Vision 1U.
The initial price they offered me is as below
Frame - 140 (after 50% disc)
Essilor Airwear Transitions VI - 590
Essilor Transitions VI - 390
I chose Essilor Airwear Transitions VI and asked for further disc. The deal was closed at 650 (frame lens)