Corrective lens wearers--what is your solution for eyewear while riding?

[paredown]

I've been making do with an old pair of single vision sunglasses (that no longer match my main (progressive bifocal) prescription. I cannot read cue sheets (near sighted) and now I'm not doing so well on distances either.

So I'm thinking I need something new.

So do people do progressives, lined bifocal or keep single vision for distance as a a rule?

Prescription sunglass lenses in a cycling specific frame? (may not work with my coke bottle, high correction prescription...)

Prescription inserts/snap-in lens in a cycling specific frame?

Other choices?

[shovelhd]

Progressives. Rudy. Expensive but worth it.

[Louis]

I just ride with single-vision corrective lenses. (Rudy Project, with an Rx insert.) I'm getting close to needing bi-focals, but now if something is really teeny I just take the glasses off and can focus pretty well very, very close. (I'm around -12 in each eye.)

If you go with these guys you absolutely can't go wrong:

http://www.sportsoptical.com/

I've had good success with them, as have several other folks on the forum.

[Ronsonic]

Near-sighted myself. Single vision Rx sunglasses, wraparound style from Zenni. I have two pairs one for wooded off-road biking and a dark pair for out on the roads. They're cheap so I won't cry if anything happens to them and don't look too weird off the bike. I'm not into the interplanetary insect look.

I don't have trouble reading the computer or anything, but would just lift them a little to read under them if I had to.

[Ken Robb]

At 74 years old I have LOTS of experience here. I had to admit that I had to sacrifice real or imagined aero positioning (for me) and get my bars high enough for me to look through the top part of my progressive lenses. Now my arthritic neck is adding to the problem. Sit-up-and-beg is barely around my corner. :beer:

[carpediemracing]

I use my regular glasses. Progressive and pretty strong prescription. I want to say my uncorrected vision is in the 20/600 range. My focal point without glasses is about 4-5" away from my eye, after that everything is blurry.

I have to be careful in keeping the glasses up on my nose as my tilted head encourages my glasses to drop a bit. A little drop, like a quarter inch, equals a massive loss of clarity. I was feeling unsafe with one set of glasses ("work glasses") because they drooped too easily. When I used them karting they'd droop to the point where I literally slammed into the wall a couple times because I totally missed my apex/turn-in because I started losing depth perception.

With my regular glasses I raced bikes tonight (my "street" set) and I felt much better. And I was suffering like mad so my head was down for most of the race - the first time I looked up it was 2 to go - so the glasses had ample time to droop.

[CSKeller]

As said above...http://www.sportsoptical.com/

Brent won't steer you wrong. Brent set me up with Rudy Project RB3s with rx inserts years ago. Just for reference, I am really nearsighted (-8.0 LE/ -5.5 RE) with an astigmatism. They have been great...so great I bought a second pair (may have been the last pair Brent had) because Rudy quit production of the RB3s.

As I've gotten older, I now need bifocals..+1.5. Instead of having new rx inserts made, I tried these stick on bifocal lenses http://optx2020.com/p-2-hydrotac-stick-on-bifocal-reading-lenses-consumer.aspx They work really well, are inexpensive and easy to add or remove for other glasses.

[ultraman6970]

I got progressives made by sportrx... super happy with them. The only advice i can give you is to find the right frame, as you must know if the prescription is too high some frames cant be done. Oakley and other brands have really nice frames for cycling that arent super curved and are tad bigger aswell so you can put the reading prescription in the progresives w/o any problems.

Hope this helps :)

[Jere]

Hi
I got tired of spending $600.00 on sport glasses I buy these now.
5 pair they are fragile but work , if they break who cares there cheap.

http://www.zennioptical.com/sports-glasses?currentPage=2&Nao=12











I've been making do with an old pair of single vision sunglasses (that no longer match my main (progressive bifocal) prescription. I cannot read cue sheets (near sighted) and now I'm not doing so well on distances either.

So I'm thinking I need something new.

So do people do progressives, lined bifocal or keep single vision for distance as a a rule?

Prescription sunglass lenses in a cycling specific frame? (may not work with my coke bottle, high correction prescription...)

Prescription inserts/snap-in lens in a cycling specific frame?

Other choices?

[dekindy]

Oakley Crosslink that I wear for everything. A clear lens and a sunglass lens, both progressive. Cost a fortune but I finally decided to buy what I wanted.

[93KgBike]

You can read and ride at the same time?:D

[fogrider]

I have the Tifosi Roubaix, they are good for riding, but I don't think they can do bifocals. http://www.tifosioptics.com/rx-ready/

[paredown]

You can read and ride at the same time?:D
More like the quick glance down at the map or cue sheet...

Thanks all for the suggestions.

The optometrist that did my recent prescription was adamant that I would want to use a single vision lens while riding, but when I ride with my regular progressives I'm fine so I did want confirmation that I was not losing it.

Now I have to decide--since I have the problem of high correction=limited frame choice because of thickness, I should probably send my prescription to everyone's favorite store and see if it is even possible to get a lens/frame combination that will work, and then see if I need to go to plan 'B'

[Bruce K]

As others have mentioned, Sports Opticsl in Denver are great to work with. They are not cheap, but they are knowledgeable and seem to have whatever you need.

I use single vision Rudy Rydons and just peak underneath for close up.

BK

[Veloo]

I'm wearing Adidas Evil Eye Halfrim Pro in single vision but I do believe I could've gotten bifocals if needed. I'm not there just yet.
When I asked Rudy, they told me my Rx was too high. I have a thread here.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=192435&highlight=adidas+evil+eye&page=2

I recently came across the Salice insert and was told it can also accommodate my Rx. PBK sells the 005 glasses but I haven't found the 005RX kit anywhere yet.

http://www.salice.co.uk/detail/005RX-Kit-Optik

[dekindy]

I'm wearing Adidas Evil Eye Halfrim Pro in single vision but I do believe I could've gotten bifocals if needed. I'm not there just yet.
When I asked Rudy, they told me my Rx was too high. I have a thread here.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=192435&highlight=adidas+evil+eye&page=2

I recently came across the Salice insert and was told it can also accommodate my Rx. PBK sells the 005 glasses but I haven't found the 005RX kit anywhere yet.

http://www.salice.co.uk/detail/005RX-Kit-Optik

Technology is changing rapidly and the ranges are expanding dramatically, even for someone with an astigmatism like me. Before I was out of the range but now fall easily within providers like Oakley. So keep checking.

[douglas]

My distance correction is minor, but I ride in my Ray Ban Wayfarer progressive sunglasses. They work fine. I thought that the bifocal part would be unworkable on the bike, but it turns out to be great. I can read my computer and fix a flat with the progressives. I think that the progressives help on the mountain bike too. My husband has a strong distance correction and when he was shopping for cycling sunglasses he was told that the more curve there was in the frame, the less likely the frame would work. He rides in his aviator style everyday glasses and seems happy.
Hope you find something that works for you.

[Bob Ross]

I wear Prescription sunglass lenses in a cycling specific frame: Rudy Project Ketyum frames with lined-bifocal lenses custom ground by Brent at Sportsoptical.com. It's a pretty insane prescription -- I'm massively near-sighted with a crap-ton of astigmatism to boot -- so they weren't cheap, but they're indispensible. Quite possibly the best money I've ever spent on any cycling gear.

[choke]

I don't have bifocals but I've purchased several Rx sunglasses from Frames Direct and I have been very happy with the results. They often run promos...right now they have 50% off on Rx lenses...so the cost is pretty reasonable if you buy during one of those. The promos usually don't apply to Oakleys though.

I'm currently using Bolle Bolt S and I like them a lot. I also have Rx sunglasses from Rudy Project and Wiley X.

[Plum Hill]

Awfully nearsighted, the only one that would work for my prescription was Wiley X. Progressive bifocal. Bought at my ophthalmologist, my optometrist's employee's were impressed with the quality.
After a few years, I'm not. Frames are small for my face. Lenses were so thick that my eyelashes rubbed on them. Eyelashes + sweat + dirt = scratched lens coating. Only fix is new lenses @ $300 or so. No thanks.
I've finally found contacts that work with my astigmatism, so I can wear my Smith Optics Otis.

[Peter P.]

The only thing I can add to all the useful information here is, be sure the frames you choose sit high enough on your face so you look through the lenses while at least riding on the hoods, minimum.

And the frames should fit such that they don't slip down your face while riding your bike.

I went the Sports Optical route when I first went for prescription progressive bifocals. They got the prescription perfect.

Not their fault, but the Oakley Flak Jacket frames I chose were too large for my face and would slip down every 20 seconds or so. It was maddening.

So I switched to the smaller-face fitting Half Jackets. They didn't slip down my face but due to the shape of the frames and how they sat on my face, I would peer into the upper frames or over the top even when riding on the hoods. It was at that point I decided it was too expensive to keep trying different frames.

[Louis]

Tthe Oakley Flak Jacket frames I chose were too large for my face and would slip down every 20 seconds or so. It was maddening.

Have you tried using some retainers like Chums? I have some of the "original" ones on my Rudy Project RB3's and they work very well.

https://www.chums.com/chums-eyewear-retainers

https://www.chums.com/images/products/800/12115601.jpg

[choke]

Awfully nearsighted, the only one that would work for my prescription was Wiley X. Progressive bifocal. Bought at my ophthalmologist, my optometrist's employee's were impressed with the quality.
After a few years, I'm not. Frames are small for my face. Lenses were so thick that my eyelashes rubbed on them. Eyelashes + sweat + dirt = scratched lens coating. Only fix is new lenses @ $300 or so. No thanks.FWIW, new Wiley X Rx sunglasses are around half that price at Frames Direct when they're running a promo.

[Peter P.]

Have you tried using some retainers like Chums?

Chums wouldn't solve the problem of peering over the tops of the frames, even if they stayed put. Frame shape and bridge shape need to be designed with cycling in mind.

[aki]

I got Oakley JawBreaker with custom fitted prescription lenses. There are two lenses split in the middle covering the whole area, and the boundary is not very noticeable. I got them in Japan, and not sure if you can get them that way in the US, but they have been the best pair I got so far.
Before that I was using Rudy Horus, and they worked well too.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Seramount]

Rudy Project Rydon II with progressive bifocal, polarized lenses.

best $600 I've spent on cycling gear.

[Walter]

Another vote for Sports Optical. Very helpful folks. Put me in a frame that worked really well for my face shape/size.

I went with Rudy Project Rydons. I used progressive lenses with the Transitions sunglass lenses.

[bpm]

I've been making do with an old pair of single vision sunglasses (that no longer match my main (progressive bifocal) prescription. I cannot read cue sheets (near sighted) and now I'm not doing so well on distances either.

So I'm thinking I need something new.

So do people do progressives, lined bifocal or keep single vision for distance as a a rule?

Prescription sunglass lenses in a cycling specific frame? (may not work with my coke bottle, high correction prescription...)

Prescription inserts/snap-in lens in a cycling specific frame?

Other choices?

Have you considered contact lenses? That way you can wear whatever glasses you want. I've worn contact lenses for about 25 years for nearsightedness, and about 5 years ago realized I also need help with reading. I now wear bifocal contacts and love them.

[sirskialot22]

I also ride with my contacts in, as I really enjoy the peripheral vision they afford me. I use a set of older oakley M frames (definitely treading fred-territory, but then again the retro frames are coming back, albeit in a somewhat ridiculing way). I carry a small bottle of eyderops for the real long rides in case my contacts dry at all.

[paredown]

Have you considered contact lenses? That way you can wear whatever glasses you want. I've worn contact lenses for about 25 years for nearsightedness, and about 5 years ago realized I also need help with reading. I now wear bifocal contacts and love them.

I wore contact lenses through my '20s when I was racing--and then had an incident with scratching--and stopped wearing them and never went back to try again.

At the time, hard lenses were the recommendation for someone with my combination--near sighted and astigmatism--but I have no idea what they are doing with contacts these days.

I held out hope for quite a while that some day my ship would come in and I would do Lasik--but as I spent less time in active pursuits (especially as I no longer skied--glasses with ski goggles is even more annoying that trying to see on a bike) it seemed less pressing and the desire faded. Then my sister had it done and had complications and permanent serious loss of vision in one eye (similar eyes to mine) made me gun-shy about even thinking about it.

Good idea though--I should make an appointment with an Ophthalmologist and see what they think--maybe good to do anyways to get a picture of the general condition of my eyes.

[bpm]

I wore contact lenses through my '20s when I was racing--and then had an incident with scratching--and stopped wearing them and never went back to try again.

At the time, hard lenses were the recommendation for someone with my combination--near sighted and astigmatism--but I have no idea what they are doing with contacts these days.

I held out hope for quite a while that some day my ship would come in and I would do Lasik--but as I spent less time in active pursuits (especially as I no longer skied--glasses with ski goggles is even more annoying that trying to see on a bike) it seemed less pressing and the desire faded. Then my sister had it done and had complications and permanent serious loss of vision in one eye (similar eyes to mine) made me gun-shy about even thinking about it.

Good idea though--I should make an appointment with an Ophthalmologist and see what they think--maybe good to do anyways to get a picture of the general condition of my eyes.

I' wanted to try Lasik as well, but contacts have just been so easy for me that I never really looked into it in any detail. As for the contacts, I wear soft contacts and the bifocals have been great. When I first started with them the ophthalmologist told me to give them about 3 or 4 days as it can take some adjusting to. He said that most people will either get used to them almost immediately or won't at all, but 3 or 4 days is enough time to make that determination. I started with them in the morning and it felt a little strange at first but by the afternoon I was good to go.

[HHeyermans]

I have had two sets of RX glasses done by SportRX in California. I used the Oakley Jawbone frame and had the lens done with Transition lens. They go from clear to dark and I can use them in any light condition and even on the trainer. The good thing about the frames is if your RX changes you just need to swap the lens and use the dame frame.

[ofcounsel]

I' wanted to try Lasik as well, but contacts have just been so easy for me that I never really looked into it in any detail. As for the contacts, I wear soft contacts and the bifocals have been great. When I first started with them the ophthalmologist told me to give them about 3 or 4 days as it can take some adjusting to. He said that most people will either get used to them almost immediately or won't at all, but 3 or 4 days is enough time to make that determination. I started with them in the morning and it felt a little strange at first but by the afternoon I was good to go.

Likewise, I use bifocal, daily use disposable contacts. I'm a fan. I wear Oakley Jawbone glasses with the prizm lenses. They're nice because of the amount of wind coverage, and can also swap out lenses different sports like MTB and skiing.

Al

[jdh]

I have had two sets of RX glasses done by SportRX in California. I used the Oakley Jawbone frame and had the lens done with Transition lens. They go from clear to dark and I can use them in any light condition and even on the trainer. The good thing about the frames is if your RX changes you just need to swap the lens and use the dame frame.

Also got Transition lenses from SportRX and they have been great.
I got single-vision lenses vs. my normal progressive glasses and they are great for cycling day or night.
I didn't like riding with contacts.

[verbs4us]

Not their fault, but the Oakley Flak Jacket frames I chose were too large for my face and would slip down every 20 seconds or so. It was maddening.

So I switched to the smaller-face fitting Half Jackets. They didn't slip down my face but due to the shape of the frames and how they sat on my face, I would peer into the upper frames or over the top even when riding on the hoods. It was at that point I decided it was too expensive to keep trying different frames.

Ditto that. Except for me the sightline for the Half-Jacket is perfect, and the optician at the Oakley store dialed in my tri-focal (yikes!) script perfectly. Yes, they are stupid expensive, and yes, I look like Atom Ant. But no, have not had repeat visits to the eye doc to extract airborne crud that became embedded in my cornea or eyelid. They do a good job protecting my eyes. I do like the lens interchangeability and in the winter, use yellow/orange tint lens. Not the easiest to switch lenses, but I wrestle it only 2X/year.

[purpurite]

I also ride with my contacts in, as I really enjoy the peripheral vision they afford me. I use a set of older oakley M frames (definitely treading fred-territory, but then again the retro frames are coming back, albeit in a somewhat ridiculing way). I carry a small bottle of eyderops for the real long rides in case my contacts dry at all.

Me. Soon.

Tired of not being able to see distances or read the computer or phone if I need to on a ride.

You'll have to pry those M frames from my cold, dead hands, too.