★ Exclusive Interview: Transitions Optical & Opti-Guide
Speakers & Participants in the Meeting
Ali Rhdifa
President of Infoptic
Arnaud Rajchenbach
Head of Marketing and Sales at Transitions Optical Canada
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
Doctor of Optometry and neuroscientist, Head of Clinical Marketing at Transitions® Optical on the Global team
Two years after an initial discussion about Transitions GEN S, the conversation picks up where it left off: with the promise of a lens capable of working with light rather than against it. Transitions® Color Touch™ introduces an idea that is bolder than it seems: an interior tint embraced as a style element, yet governed by strict technical standards.
In this interview with Ali Rhdifa, President of Infoptic Media, Anne-Catherine Scherlen, Associate Director of Technical Marketing at Transitions Optical, and Arnaud Rajchenbach, Head of Marketing and Sales at Transitions Optical Canada, place Color Touch within a broader context. The topic isn’t just about colour. It touches on molecular consistency, visual stability, blue-violet light filtration, the clinical role of dynamic lenses, and how a historic brand can speak to a generation seeking eyewear that is functional, reflects their identity, and is comfortable to wear.
The phrase that emerges at the end of the discussion comes from Anne-Catherine Scherlen: “Mastering light.” It sums up an ambition: to give the eye the right amount of light, at the right time, without sacrificing style, protection, colour perception, or ease of use.
A Permanent Tint Indoors: Departure or Stylistic Evolution?
Ali Rhdifa
I’ll start, on purpose, with the question that might seem the most direct. For years, Transitions has made a very clear promise: clear lenses indoors that darken outdoors. With Color Touch, there’s a visible tint even when the lenses are in their “rest” state. Is this a departure from that promise, or rather a new way of interpreting it?
Arnaud Rajchenbach
When we talk about this ever-present tint, we’re definitely talking about Color Touch. The market has changed significantly: frames with subtle permanent tints have become very common, often featuring tints that are much more pronounced than what we offer here. Color Touch responds to this trend with a discreet, yet very comfortable and dynamic, cosmetic tint on the inside of the lens, designed to accompany the patient throughout their day, regardless of the lighting conditions they encounter.
This tint isn’t just for aesthetics. When deactivated, it provides additional visual comfort, particularly through improved blue light filtration. When activated, the tint blends into the lens’s functionality, because Color Touch is based on Transitions GEN S technology. The lens then darkens to a Category 3 tint, comparable to a sunglass lens. When deactivated, the cosmetic tint reappears. The dynamic performance is therefore not compromised—it is enhanced.
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
Color Touch complements GEN S—it does not replace it. Its unique feature is the subtle tint when the glass is not activated, which is appreciated indoors or while driving at night, when there is no UV radiation. Style is, of course, important—especially for younger generations—but visual comfort is also a key consideration. Indoors, the eyes are exposed to artificial lighting, screens, and environments such as stores or offices. This exposure can lead to ongoing eye strain.
The Color Touch tint helps alleviate this sensation, while remaining light enough not to interfere with colour perception. The intensity was chosen to provide protection while preserving the colour spectrum. This is an important point: we’re not looking for a spectacular colour at the expense of vision. We’re looking for the right colour.
Ocular Physiology and Adaptation Speed: The Right Tempo for the Eye
Ali Rhdifa
On GEN S, you had already emphasized an idea that I find interesting: not making the glass move as fast as possible, but making it move at the right speed for the eye. Does this philosophy still hold true for Color Touch?
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
Yes, absolutely. GEN S technology has been redesigned at the molecular level and in terms of its activation mechanism to achieve fast response times, but above all, to be tailored to the eye’s physiological needs. A lens that’s too fast can be uncomfortable, and so can one that’s too slow.
Color Touch follows this same principle. The difference is that the initial residual tint already puts the eye in a comfortable state. The clinical studies mentioned during the interview show that this can provide greater ease and stability during changes in lighting. The eye isn’t suddenly confronted with a sharp contrast; it’s already acclimated.
Transitions® Color Touch™: the unprecedented combination of an indoor cosmetic tint and GEN S dynamic power outdoors.
The 5-Shade Palette: Chromatic Consistency and Molecular Fidelity
Ali Rhdifa
Color Touch is available in five colours: Ruby, Amber, Sapphire, Amethyst, and Emerald. A colour is always an aesthetic promise, but here it also becomes a promise of performance. How do you ensure consistent specifications across different shades?
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
We need to distinguish between two aspects. First, the choice of colours, which reflects different aesthetic and perceptual sensibilities. Some shades are warmer, others cooler; some are more natural, while others are more vivid. Second, there is technical performance, which must remain consistent and stable when the glass is activated.
Arnaud Rajchenbach
Compared to previous generations, the improvement is very noticeable. To create a dynamic colour like that of Transitions, several molecules are required. In Generation 8, some molecules did not activate or deactivate at exactly the same rate. This could result in a colour that leaned toward grey, for example on the Sapphire.
With GEN S, we conducted thousands of tests to find the right formula. The goal was for the molecules that make up a colour to work together—at the same rate—during both activation and deactivation. This consistency is essential, because style is only meaningful if the colour remains true, and with GEN S, we’ve succeeded.
Flawless chromatic fidelity: the Amethyst tint retains its full intensity without any shade drift during light transitions.
Speed, Smart, Style, and Consistency: Meeting Market Expectations
Ali Rhdifa
I’d like to focus on this word: consistency. In the GEN S promise, we talked about Speed, Smart, and Style. With Color Touch, colour consistency almost becomes a fourth keyword, especially for professionals who have faced objections from previous generations. Is that a fair interpretation?
Arnaud Rajchenbach
Yes, that’s a fair interpretation. The “S” in GEN S already embodies three dimensions: Style, with an expanded palette; Smart, because the lens intelligently adapts to lighting conditions; and Speed, for the speed at which it activates and returns to its clear state. But behind these three words lies a commitment to quality as well. Consumers and professionals have shared their expectations with us. Transitions has listened to them.
Colour consistency is therefore a very concrete response to market demands. It shows that the technology has not only improved in terms of speed and colour selection—it has also improved in terms of colour accuracy.
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
There is also a broader requirement: to make no compromises between standards, UV protection, filtration, visual quality, and style. That is precisely what makes the technology challenging. The lens must remain comfortable, stable, compliant, protective, and aesthetically pleasing. The challenge is achieving all of these qualities at the same time.
Gradient vs Solid Tint (Washed): Pigment Chemistry and Visual Balance
Gradient Finish
Elegance & Functionality
A tint of approximately 20% in the upper portion of the lens, gradually fading toward the bottom. Ideal for a refined look in distance vision and optimal clarity for reading and near vision.
Solid Finish (Washed)
Uniformity & Character
A continuous 20% tint across the entire lens surface. Delivers a uniform, modern visual signature, popular among the new generation of wearers.
Ali Rhdifa
Let’s move on to gradient and washed or solid colours. You can see the difference at a glance: the gradient is more pronounced at the top and fades toward the bottom, while the washed colour is more uniform. But chemically speaking, are they really that different?
Arnaud Rajchenbach
From a market perspective, the two effects cater to different expectations. The gradient, with a tint of around 20% at the top that fades to a lighter shade, is highly valued for its aesthetic appeal. It provides enhanced visibility at a distance and clearer reading at close range. The “washed” or solid colour lens, on the other hand, offers a more uniform 20% tint across the entire surface. The choice depends on the patient, their frames, their prescription, the desired effect, and, of course, their personal style.
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
When it comes to chemistry and pigments, the challenge is different. In a solid colour effect, the shade is uniform across the entire surface. In a gradient, the pigments gradually change from top to bottom. Then, when the glass is activated, it must darken consistently across the entire surface.
We therefore had to refine the colorimetry, positioning, and activation of the pigments to maintain continuity between the inactive and active states. It’s very delicate work, because the aesthetic effect must be present at rest, without creating a jarring transition when the glass becomes dynamic.
Blue-Violet Light Filtration: Between 26% and 51%
26% to 51%
Indoor blue-violet light filtration depending on the chosen tints.
Category 3 Sunwear
Maximum darkening outdoors with 100% UV protection.
Tone on Tone
Total symbiosis between the indoor cosmetic colour and the photochromic base.
Ali Rhdifa
The filtration of blue-violet light indoors varies, depending on the color, from 26% to 51%. To a professional or a patient, this difference may seem significant. How should it be interpreted?
Anne-Catherine Scherlen
Color Touch offers slightly better blue-violet light filtration than GEN S, up to 51%. This filtration is already present in the Transitions GEN S material. The light tint of Color Touch enhances it. Furthermore, depending on the colour chosen, the filtered wavelengths are not exactly the same, which explains the variations between the tints.
It is therefore important to interpret this information carefully: Color Touch adds an aesthetic dimension, but this aesthetic also provides added protection. It is not a tint applied simply for cosmetic purposes. It is a tint designed with eye comfort and protection in mind.
Arnaud Rajchenbach
This is one of Transitions’ key strengths: even in its clear state, the lens already filters blue light. Outdoors, depending on the product chosen, blue light and UV rays are filtered to a significant degree. A simple clear lens with an anti-reflective coating that filters blue light does not provide the same level of performance as Transitions, whether in its clear or tinted state.
100% Transitions Formula: The Consistency of Tone on Tone
Ali Rhdifa
It’s often said that Color Touch darkens like GEN S when outdoors. Actually, if I understand correctly, it’s not just like GEN S. It’s GEN S that activates, with an added stylistic layer. Is that the right way to put it?
Arnaud Rajchenbach
Exactly! Color Touch is based on a formula unique to Transitions. No other manufacturer of photochromic lenses with solid or gradient effects has this same technology. The principle is tone-on-tone. A Color Touch Ruby is based on a GEN S Ruby. A Color Touch Amethyst is based on a GEN S Amethyst. We do not mix one aesthetic colour with another dynamic base.
This tone-on-tone consistency explains the product’s performance and appeal. The cosmetic effect fades when the glass activates, because it is absorbed into the dynamic colour scheme. It’s a 100% Transitions formula.
💡 Key Takeaways & Major Insights from the Discussion
- A dual proposition: Color Touch reconciles the desirability of a cosmetic tint at rest (indoors/night) and dynamic Category 3 sunwear performance outdoors.
- Exclusive Tone-on-Tone formula: The initial fixed tint and the photochromic matrix strictly share the same chromatic base for seamless fluidity without visual interruption.
- Enhanced active protection: Thanks to the combination of GEN S material and subtle pigments, blue-violet light filtration reaches 26% to 51% in the deactivated state.
- Two finishes to choose from: Gradient (enhancing distance vision while clearing near vision) or Solid / Washed (a uniform signature across the entire lens).
- Molecular fidelity: No more tint drift during transitions: all molecules activate and deactivate in perfect synchronisation.
Frequently Asked Questions: Everything You Need to Know About Transitions® Color Touch™
How does Transitions® Color Touch™ differ from a standard tinted lens?
Unlike a standard tinted lens that remains static regardless of sunlight, Transitions® Color Touch™ is based on dynamic GEN S technology. Indoors, it offers a light tint (approximately 20%) that is aesthetic and protective against artificial light. As soon as it is exposed to UV light outdoors, the lens activates to reach a Category 3 sun tint, before smoothly returning to its subtle resting shade.
What are the 5 signature colours available?
Transitions® Color Touch™ is available in 5 iconic shades: Ruby, Amber, Sapphire, Amethyst, and Emerald. Each tint has been calibrated to offer a natural chromatic harmony and exemplary consistency without drifting toward grey during activation and deactivation phases.
What is the difference between the Gradient and Solid (Washed) versions?
The Gradient version features approximately 20% saturation at the top of the lens that lightens toward the bottom, facilitating reading and screen work in near vision. The Washed (Solid) version offers a uniform and balanced 20% tint across the entire lens surface, providing a contemporary and distinctive style.
What level of protection against blue light and UV rays does the lens provide?
Color Touch™ provides 100% full protection against UVA and UVB rays. In addition, in its clear indoor state, it filters between 26% and 51% of blue-violet light (depending on the chosen shade), offering immediate relief in front of screens and intense LED lighting.
Why do we speak of a "100% Transitions tone-on-tone formula"?
The technical secret lies in the absolute matching of molecules: a Color Touch Ruby lens uses a GEN S Ruby photochromic base. This colorimetric consistency ensures that when the lens activates, the initial cosmetic tint is seamlessly absorbed into the sun tint without tonal conflict.
