Learn what Oakley Prizm lenses are, how they’re different and whether you need them in your sunglasses!
What is Oakley Prizm? What are the benefits?
Oakley Prizm™ is an Oakley lens technology designed to enhance color and contrast allowing you to see more details. Oakley released the Prizm lens in 2015, initially targeting sport specific markets, but later looked to the broader consumer.
The primary benefits of Prizm technology are:
- Enhanced Color – Realistic color spectrum compared to standard lenses
- Increased Contrast – Increased detail perception and contrast differences in high light environments
- Optimized Clarity and more detail – Fine tuned lens tints to perfectly contrast natural environments found in specific sports and activities
According to Oakley, Prizm technology was in development for over 15 years before hitting the market. During this time they studied how the human eye perceives light in natural conditions. Eventually they leveraged hyper-spectral imaging, a method used by satellites that helps analyze light in real-world environments. A hyper-spectral camera allows engineers to see the patterns and conditions of the spectral light peaks that exist in natural conditions and environments .
Oakley focused on isolating these conditions and corresponding spectrum peaks to specific environments, then recreating the hues with lens dye’s specifically tailored to match. These absorption peaks represent the colors commonly found in various environments such as white in snow conditions and brown/green on trails. By focusing on these peaks, Oakley is able to tune lens colors to help to boost the “good” light and filter out the “bad” light. For example, in snow conditions, Oakley highlights specific blue and orange hues to highlight the natural terrain.
What is the difference between Oakley Prizm and Iridium?
Iridium is the coating used by Oakley to give lenses a “mirrored” appearance. On the other hand, Prizm is a new lens technology which provides a completely different experience. The best part? You can have both! In our guide below, you’ll notice lenses that feature both technology, offering enhanced contrast with a mirrored finish that hides your eyes.
Prizm Sport vs. Prizm Everyday? What’s the difference?
While both offer enhanced contrast, color and detail over traditional lenses, Prizm Sport is focused on sport specific lenses to enhanced performance on the field, while Prizm Everyday lenses are built for life off the field.
Prizm Sport lenses are engineered to enhance color vividness and increase contrast. For example, Prizm Road, is designed to highlight and enhance the contrast of the road you are cycling on. With enhanced contrast, the athlete is better able to see cracks, divots and other obstacles in high contrast environments.
Prizm Everyday lenses are engineered to enhance color and detail in your everyday activities such as walking and driving. For example, the Prizm Daily Polarized is designed to highlight your environment and increase detail so you are better able to see the world around you.
Are Oakley Prizm Lenses Polarized?
Yes, they can be Polarized, but not all are! Typically you can simply look at the model name which will include “Polarized”. If you look at the lens listing at the bottom of our guide, you’ll notice that many sport specific pairs don’t offer Polarized lenses. This is because the performance of Prizm technology, specifically contrast and depth perception is degraded by Polarized filtering. However, this doesn’t mean your eyes aren’t protected, Prizm lenses still offer 100% UVA and UVB protection to stop harmful rays!
What’s sports are Prizm lenses designed for?
Baseball
Prizm Baseball Infield: Gives an infielder the ability to see the greens and reds which allow the ball to stand out more against the grass and dirt.
Prizm Baseball Outfield: Enhances the sky colors to yield better contrast for fly balls in the outfield.
Prizm Field: Accentuates the blue of the sky to enhance the contrast of a fly ball.
Cycling / Running
Prizm Road: Enhances vision in both bright light and shadows, helping riders spot changes in the texture of road surfaces. Improved vision in both bright light and shadows. Traffic lights become more vibrant, and white and yellow lines are more clearly differentiated. Blues and greens are enhanced for a more pleasant ride.
Prizm Trail: Are perfect for trail running, hiking, and mountain biking because it enhances the colors on the trails along with the light conditions under and out of shadows. You will be able to see and react faster to the creases and patches of sand, roots, rocks, and other obstacles that are crucial to avoid. Enhances reds and browns. More vividly represents plants and foliage colors. Improved vision in both bright light and shadows.
Fishing and Shooting
Prizm Shallow Water Polarized: Helps keep white colors bright so you can spot the flash of fish on the surface or in shallow water. Boosts green and copper hues that define hiding spots. Maintains bright whites to easier spot the fish and flies on the surfaces of the water. Helps define shadows of the fish.
Prizm Deep Water Polarized: Filter out the shades of blue that overwhelm your vision on open water. The deep water lenses filter out specific shades of blue that crowd your vision on the open water so you can see below the surface in deep water conditions. Strengthens the reds and greens colors that will give you a better view of the activity below the surface.
Prizm Shooting: Tunes light to maximize contrast resulting in sports tuned colors that enhance contours and details. TR45 is best suited for brighter light conditions, eliminating 55% of ambient light and blocks 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC light.
Golf
Prizm Golf: Improves contrast for better separation of color and gives you more depth cues to gauge distance and grass conditions.
Are Prizm lenses available for Oakley Goggles?
Yes, Oakley specifically designed the Prizm Snow for winter conditions and Prizm MX for dirt conditions. Currently both lens are available across Oakley’s lineup of Snow and Motocross Goggles including Youth, Standard and Asian fits.
Prizm Snow lenses are designed to enhance contrast and allow you to see the sticks, bumps, and terrain shifts in snow that other goggles won’t catch. These lenses are also enhanced to boost optics in low light environments such as dawn/dusk snow.
Prizm MX lenses are designed to give you the edge in motocross by spotting the dips and dives of the terrain ahead of the competition. Optimized for dirt conditions, the lens enhances contrast so you can see the terrain naturally with the finest details highlighted.
Are Prescription Prizm lenses available?
Yes, you can buy Oakley Prizm prescription lenses directly through Oakley’s website or at your optometrist. In addition to a valid prescription with base curve, you’ll want to have an idea of what sport/activity you’ll be using the glasses for to narrow your search.
What colors are available for Prizm Lenses?
See below for the Prizm Lens Guide broken out by Sunglasses and Goggles.
Oakley Prizm Sunglasses Lens Listing
| Lens Color | Sport / Activity | Light Transmission | Polarized Available | Iridium Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24K Polarized | Cycling, Mountain Bike, Training | 11% | Yes | No |
| Black | All Sports | 11% | Yes | Yes |
| Bronze | Everyday | 17% | No | No |
| Clear Iridium Photochromic | Everyday, Changing Conditions | 23% | No | Yes |
| Cricket | Cricket | 20% | Yes | No |
| Daily Polarized | Everyday, Changing Conditions | 14% | No | No |
| Dark Golf | Golf | 22% | No | No |
| Deep Water Polarized | Fishing, Boating | 12% | Yes | No |
| Field | Baseball, Football, Cricket, Training | 20% | No | No |
| Golf | Golf | 30% | No | No |
| Grey | Everyday | 17% | No | No |
| Jade Polarized | Everyday | 13% | Yes | No |
| Low Light | Everyday, Low Light | 75% | No | No |
| Road | Cycling, Driving, Running, Training | 20% | No | No |
| Road Black | Cycling, Driving, Running, Training | 11% | No | No |
| Rose Gold | Everyday | 13% | Yes | No |
| Ruby Polarized | Everyday | 17% | Yes | No |
| Sapphire | Everyday | 12% | Yes | Yes |
| Shallow Water Polarized | Fishing, Hiking, Training | 15% | Yes | No |
| Trail | Mountain Biking, Running, Hiking, Training | 36% | No | No |
| Trail Torch | Mountain Biking, Running, Hiking, Training | 35% | No | No |
| Tungsten | Everyday | 14% | Yes | Yes |
Oakley Prizm Goggles Lens Listing
| Lens Color | Sport / Activity | Light Transmission | Polarized Available | Iridium Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MX Black Iridium | Motocross | 5.50% | No | Yes |
| MX Bronze | Motocross | 17% | No | No |
| MX Jade Iridium | Motocross | 13% | No | Yes |
| MX Sapphire | Motocross | 12% | No | No |
| MX Torch | Motocross | 40% | No | No |
| Snow Black | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 5.50% | No | Yes |
| Snow Hi Pink Iridium | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 38% | No | Yes |
| Snow Jade Iridium | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 155 | No | Yes |
| Snow Rose | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 26% | No | No |
| Snow Sapphire Iridium | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 13% | No | Yes |
| Snow Torch Iridium | Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow | 19% | No | Yes |
What Sunglasses are available with Prizm lenses?
The current lineup of Oakley Prizm sunglasses include (sorted A-Z):
- Apparition
- Chrystl
- Cliffden
- Coldfuse
- Crossrange
- Deadbolt
- Diecutter
- EVZero Blades
- EyeJacket Redux
- Flak 2.0
- Flak 2.0 XL
- Flight Jacket
- Forager
- Frogskins (Including Lite and Mix)
- Fuel Cell
- Gascan
- Holbrook (Including Metal, Mix and XL)
- Jawbreaker
- Latch (Including Beta and Key)
- Mainlink XL
- Mercenary
- Pitchman R
- Radar EV Advancer
- Radar EV Path
- Ridgeline
- Siphon
- Split Shot
- Sutro
- Sylas
- Targetline
- Turbine
- TwoFace
Where to Buy Prizm Lenses?
Most searches will likely point you to Oakley.com, as unfortunately aftermarket suppliers do not have Prizm technology since it is proprietary. If you’re looking to save on your Prizm lenses, be sure to register on the forums and check out our Exchange areas with over 200,000 posts, where members can buy, sell and trade everything Oakley!
Oakley Prizm technology is one of the largest advances in Sunglasses in the last decade. Whether on or off the field, track, slope or road, increased clarity and contrast can provide that small edge to find you the win!
Looking for more information on Oakley Lenses? Check out member Cacatman’s guide to Oakley Lenses.
So will you be getting a pair of Prizm Sunglasses or Goggles? Or do you already have a pair? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
