Spirooxazine compounds are useful in the field of plastic lenses, such as sunglasses and ski goggles. The plastic photochromic sunglasses have been in the marketplace since the early 1980s, and their market share is presently ca. 70%. The excellent lightfastness of the spironaphthooxazine series makes such applications possible, compared to other photochromic compounds.
Although spironaphthooxazines have excellent lightfastness, they decompose slowly on exposure to sunlight. However, lightfastness can be improved by addition of nickel stabilizers (singlet oxygen quenchers) or hindered amines (antioxidants).86-88
Other applications of spirooxazine compounds include toys, cosmetics, printing inks, and clothes.