[thirdmainroad]

I've had to wear spectacles since they first tested my eyes - when I was in the 5th std, in 1995. I still remember the acute discomfort when I got my first pair of specs - and then the first sense of "Holy, is this what I have been missing seeing all this while?!" once I got used to wearing them.

Started off with about -1.25 and now, in late 2021 - about minus 1.5 and minus 1.75 cylindrical.

Was always a brat - and notorious for breaking specs; if the lenses were made of glass, I'd break them in a few days, if they were made of plastic, I'd scratch them beyond seeing in a few weeks.

But as I grew older, I learnt to care more and I'd always prefer glass lenses over plastic - for they were much clearer, at least back then.

It was in about 2010 that I could afford to wear more expensive eye wear - with the confidence that I would not break them in no time - but I would still stick with cheap glass lenses. It was in 2015ish that I was coerced to pick up expensive plastic lenses - Essilor - I thought they were a complete waste of money before but once I wore them - I was like "SHYYYTEE - HAVE I BEEN MISSING ALL THESE COLOURS ALL THIS WHILE?" Every colour was much more vibrant and just so much more colourful. It was almost like the time when I first wore specs - and wondering WOOSH - what a world of sight there is!

Anyway, since I told the optician that I drive a lot - and I do drive a LOT, cause that's what I am here on earth for - to drive - and so I drive - he suggested that I get the Essidrive lenses - which I thought would be waste of money and I evaded it for a bit, but in 2017, got the Essidrive paired with Signature 5 Photochromic Essilor Lenses. Again, it was a whole new beautiful world. Colours more vibrant - and driving - quite easier - I'd experience less eye fatigue on the highways and all was well and good and God was kind. Except - I'd keep scratching my lenses very often and in about 8 months to a year I'd have to get new ones, even if my eyesight had not deteriorated enough to warrant a change of lenses. Essilor lenses it was always - for I had seen the best in them and the Essidrive coating was quite good. The damn things were quite expensive - would cost me about 15 k - but hey what's 15k a yearish for having eyesight? What I'd come to realise is the Essdrive coating is scratch prone and .. many scratches I'd get.

Last changed my lenses in January 2021, but I sat on my pair of regular specs the other day - which I had not done really in a while - so it was back to me getting a new pair.

When I checked in at my optician - I am now a favorite customer of his - I was appalled to find out that that though Essilor had upgraded the photochromics to signature 8, it was going to be difficult to get the Essidrive coating on single visions - because apparently not enough customers were going for them! I was in shock and disarray - I'd not be able to drive as comfortably as before ever again - all because of the fact that stupid people here did not realise how good the essidrive coating was while driving and didn't want to shell out the extra bucks!

BUT - the optician said, Zeiss had a driving lense for single vision and ... but I was now a Essilor fan boy. I had never seen clearer and colours more vibrant. But again, my sole purpose here on earth is to love animals and to drive. Did a quick google search on Essilor Essidrive VS Zeiss DriveSafe and the results were all pro Essilor and how Zeiss sucked and blah blah. I was left depressed. Sad. Lonely.

But then I thought - you know what - Google and the internet is not right all the time - and Zeiss is great at precision lenses so why not give it a shot.

And I did.

Got Zeiss photochromic with the DriveSafe coating.

And again, I was absolutely stunned. All colours were now a little more vivid. Details better.

Then I started to drive. The lenses are just - OH MY GOD!! Clarity is just woosh. Focusing on objects far and near is just So much better.

Then came the darkness. And with it, the - what can I say - the demons who don't know that there is a low beam - these are people that I regularly get out of my car while in a city road and try to reason with - either oncoming or behind - "WHY THE HELL DO YOU NEED HIGH BEAMS IN THE CITY?!"

But with these new lenses - the Zeiss DriveSafe - gosh, I could actually look straight into to high beams and - it was just different - the glare was SO much less, yet everything was SO vivid and crystal clear.


Guys - if you drive, and if you wear specs - Go Zeiss - Go DriveSafe. They are just SUPER DUPER.

These, in my opinion, are the Michellins of eyewear! (Why I will never drive with any tyre other than Michelins)

[Shreyans_Jain]

Haha. Relate with every word, buddy. I have -0.75 cylindrical, and got my first pair of basic spectacles in 2009. Sometime in 2011, I upgraded to Crizal lenses. It was like switching from basic cable to HD! After college I stopped wearing glasses on a daily basis, I have been able to maintain my vision at that level with regular eye exercises. But I did get myself a very good pair of sunglasses with power, for driving of course. The optician suggested Essilor Experio lenses, with the greenish black tint. Man, if Crizal was HD, Experio is 4K on OLED!! I’ve sworn by Experio ever since, and have had 3 pairs over the past decade. My optician still says these are the best lenses out there for me.

Moral of the story: Always spend the extra buck for top quality lenses. It is worth it.

Suggestions welcome for better lenses.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by thirdmainroad

1. Got Zeiss photochromic with the DriveSafe coating.

2. But with these new lenses - the Zeiss DriveSafe - gosh, I could actually look straight into to high beams and - it was just different - the glare was SO much less, yet everything was SO vivid and crystal clear.

1. Thanks for a very useful thread

2. Do they have a Polaroid filter? Noob here but asking because I experienced similar with my Polaroid sunglasses but during daytime and figured out that the bluish globe visible on the oncoming cars windshield was actually the Sun

[thirdmainroad]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Man, if Crizal was HD, Experio is 4K on OLED!!

That's a great way to make the comparison!

Originally Posted by shancz

2. Do they have a Polaroid filter? Noob here but asking because I experienced similar with my Polaroid sunglasses but during daytime and figured out that the bluish globe visible on the oncoming cars windshield was actually the Sun

Not sure if they are Polarized. But they do come with quite a deep bluish tint - deeper than on the Crizals. But I have not experienced any reflection on oncoming windshields!

[rajesh1868]

Do online sellers like lenskart or titan eye plus provide these options? I don't remember seeing them.
I have been wearing glasses for the last 30 years. Recently switched to online sellers as my new location does not have good optical stores.

[krishnakumar]

I have astigmatism and don't usually have to wear glasses except while working. However, I would totally love to have an option to avoid glare at night time.

Can I get a pair of glasses which have no power or maybe just cylindrical for astigmatism but has the anti-glare properties for night driving?

[ike]

I have been using drive safe for a year now. I did not feel any difference until I had to drive with my spare set of glasses at night. Drivesafes are just awesome and once you get used to them very difficult going back to something inferior.

[Dieseldunk]

Most important thing on glasses (especially if you are driving like all the folks here) better to get a double coat lens and clear vision. Zeiss drive safe is good and if you get polarized ones they scatter the light so glare is defintely taken care of. Ultimately, this anti-reflective coating can protect your eyes both from nighttime brightness and daytime ultraviolet rays. The coating in these glasses can prevent reflection from these light sources, allowing you to better focus on what is happening in front of your vehicle. Along with this, prescription glasses with anti-reflective coating can reduce glare and sharpen your vision.

No matter which prescription glasses you choose for your night driving, you will want to ensure that they have an anti-reflective coating.

[manjubp]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

Do online sellers like lenskart or titan eye plus provide these options? I don't remember seeing them.

Titan eyeplus do provide Zeiss lenses and all the options/variants of the Zeiss. We have been using them for a while, certainly great lenses, but bloody expansive. Recent one(progressive) which we ordered costed us nearly 40K for lens alone, that to with medium level of index (like 1.6) and digital reading, which has better angle of vision..

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

I have astigmatism and don't usually have to wear glasses except while working. However, I would totally love to have an option to avoid glare at night time.

Can I get a pair of glasses which have no power or maybe just cylindrical for astigmatism but has the anti-glare properties for night driving?

Night driving glasses may help those who have to wear prescription glasses all the time but otherwise just clean the windshield properly inside and out and you should be alright.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by thirdmainroad;5194892
But with these new lenses - the Zeiss DriveSafe - gosh, I could actually look straight into to high beams and - it was just different - the glare was SO much less, yet everything was SO vivid and crystal clear.


Guys - if you drive, and if you wear specs - [B

Go Zeiss - Go DriveSafe.[/b] They are just SUPER DUPER.

These, in my opinion, are the Michellins of eyewear! (Why I will never drive with any tyre other than Michelins)

Been using sunglasses for quite a while now but discovered a couple of years ago that I needed not just reading glasses but for distance vision too (slight power). So stopped using shades and got a pair (made) from Titan Eye - nothing too fancy - photochromatic with coating. Makes a difference.
However reading your experience has tickled my interest.
Can you let me know what it cost for the lens?

[thirdmainroad]

The thing is this - I don’t know what normal vision is. I don’t know how red red truly is. Or how green green truly is!

What I know for sure is that the Zeiss lenses have given me the sharpest and clearest vision so far. Much clearer than the Essilors. And it’s most evident while driving at night. Like I said before, the oncoming glare is much less and everything else like the patterns of a break light in a car I am tailing is much more vivid and clearer.

The lenses cost me Rs 12500/- - less than what I had paid for the Essidrives a year earlier - they set me back by just over Rs 15,000.

[amol4184]

As a person wearing glasses, this is an extremely useful thread. Thanks for sharing. I am going to get these surely.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by thirdmainroad

Guys - if you drive, and if you wear specs - Go Zeiss - Go DriveSafe. They are just SUPER DUPER.

These, in my opinion, are the Michellins of eyewear! (Why I will never drive with any tyre other than Michelins)

That is a great and most valuable thread/info to me. I drive a lot and I wear specs.
This is breakthrough information for me.
Will definitely check it out.

[thirdmainroad]

I’ve driven about 5000 km after I got the specs. Including an all nighter from Chennai to Kumarakom. For sure, these lenses are something else. They are absolutely insanely clear and do a great job of somehow dimming oncoming car lights and glare, yet maintain perfect and clear vision. They are also fantastic otherwise. I am into wildlife and bird watching and the colours and the nuances of light are all something that are just stunning and something I’ve never experienced.

There is one drawback to them though. If you get oily stuff on them, they are very difficult to clean. I don’t know why but that’s the way they are!

I wasn’t informed at the time of purchase but after reading up more on them, Zeiss offers a scratch resistant coating on them. I think they’ll make a great add on!