I have a habit of misplacing my glasses. When I came across these Retro Men's Rectangle Photochromic Bifocal Reading Sunglasses, I thought they might solve two problems at once: reading up close and handling bright sunlight.
I've been wearing these 1.00 reading glasses for three months now. Below is my day-by-day assessment of whether they're worth your money. Given the affordable price, I expected them to break quickly—they had to prove their durability.
Here’s what the glasses claimed to offer:
The package arrived intact. The glasses look even better than the product photos, with a classic rectangular shape. I inspected them right away for quality.
The TR90 plastic frame is impressively light, which is great for comfort, though I initially questioned its toughness. The aluminum-magnesium legs, however, felt much more substantial. They have a solid heft, unlike the thin, flimsy materials often found in cheap gas station glasses. This matters—just as you'd look for 316L stainless steel in durable jewelry, you need sturdy metal legs in glasses to survive the occasional drop.
The lenses are the correct 1.00 strength I required. The bifocal line is nearly invisible, a definite plus since I dislike the obvious segmentation found in some bifocals. Stepping outside on a sunny day, the lenses darkened in roughly 20 seconds—not instant, but reasonably fast.
Verdict: These glasses feel sturdy for the price and are pleasantly lightweight. Be sure to check the frame width in millimeters before purchasing; if you have a wider head, they might feel snug. For me, the fit was just right.
The first week was all about adjustment. Getting accustomed to bifocals is always a bit strange initially—you have to train your eyes where to look. While driving, I looked through the top portion. To check the speedometer or navigation screen, I dipped my chin slightly to use the bottom reading segment.
It took about four days for this to feel natural. If you've never worn bifocals before, expect some slight dizziness on the first day.
I noticed one minor issue. While transitioning outside to darkness works well, coming back indoors, the glasses are slower to clear. They remain slightly tinted for about five minutes inside, which meant I walked around the office looking like a retired rock star for a short while.
I was looking for quality that would last. If you're shopping for similarly robust gear or are curious about durability standards, you can discover more about materials and construction there.
Verdict: They function as intended, but be patient with the lens transition speed when moving back indoors. They passed the basic functionality test.