I am a -8.5 sphere prescription, and my Exception frames with high Rx inserts have worked flawlessly for >10 years. I use them cycling, shooting and snowboarding (on spring blue bird days). Those of you with very high Rx know the difficulty in finding a solution that works. Unfortunately, the RP Direct Rx lenses only have a max Rx of -3.0, and the RP Optical Inserts have a max Rx of -5.5. A flip up lens with an insert isn't a 100% perfect solution either functionally or aesthetically, but it is one solution that gives you the flexibility to handle any situation. If your prescription is so strong that it could be dangerous for you to remove your sunglasses for a moment, there is no replacement for the ability to instantly flip up and remove the tint (e.g. cycling on a sunny day into a dark tunnel). No photochromic lens will change fast enough to be safe in that situation. The new Impact X-2 Photochromic Clear to Black lens with 9-74 Percent Light Transmission has a lot wider range of transmission than the previous photochromic lenses and should be a nice option (I just ordered) to lessen but not eliminate the need to flip up. Note, I believe they are NOT polarized. High Rx inserts are fairly small in diameter by design, compared with the low Rx, because high Rx prescription lenses get very thick from the center point very quickly. I am a physician that has searched far and wide for the best solution to the problem of sunglasses for the very high Rx. Short of getting contact lenses, the Exception with high Rx works well and has been for me for >10 years.
