Oakley dark lens tints – Black Iridium

A snowHead

I appear to have destroyed another lens rolling eyes

and as I use the discontinued Oakley Stockholm, lenses are proving difficult to acquire. I need to replace a very dark Emerald Iridium lens (VLT ~11%) and the only thing lying around in the warehouse that comes close is the Black Iridium (standard, not Prizm) which will cost me £60. Now, on the list they've sent today, Oakley state the VLT to be 10% which sounds fine, but I dug out an old list from them and the same model number is listed at 20%. A quick online search provides VLT details of this lens of everything in between Confused

Does anyone have one who can tell me whether it's more suitable as a bright sun or mid-range lens? I have very light sensitive eyes, so don't bother with mid-range, I just have a spare Persimmon. I have 3 weeks to get hold of a replacement, whether that's a new lens for the Stockholms or an entirely new pair, which would probably be the new Prizm Black Iridium in the Flight Deck XM (unless that will be too big for my tiny head) but that will cost about £130 I think. Oh, and I'll be getting a hard case this time as they appear to have got broken whilst in my bag.

A snowHead

My advice would be to bite the bullet and go for the FD XM with Prizm Black (if it fits). My daughter has a small head and the XMs were one of the very few goggles that were comfortable...but do take up half her face (as now seems to be the fashion).

My son uses the Prizm Black lens, which are dark, but are usable in a wider range of conditions than you would expect from a lens with such a low VLT.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I have used a standard black iridium lenses in both goggles for blue sky days and as lenses in sunglasses at home with no problems. I thought it was about the darkest lens they do. Definately significantly darker than Persimmon which I used to use as a mid range lens. I would say it is darker than the Jade iridium shades I have now (VLT around 17% I think). Haven't really tried emerald iridium as a comparison.

I am not very photosensitive however so may not be the best person to tell!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

My eyes are very sensitive, and before I moved to Portugal I went to a London shop and bought the "darkest" (4%?) sunglasses lens they made. Arrived in the country, put them on... and squinted. No noticable difference to whatever was before.

I read around, phoned the shop, they let me come back 2 months later and change them. Swapped them for polarised - no more squinting.

So I didn't find those VLT guides useful to me.

I read here that polarised might be a problem in bright light when there are ice patches - not sure.

Help!!

Oakley dark lens tints – Black Iridium

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