RX inserts vrs. Prescription lenses

[joelh]

I can no longer wear contacts and am sick of looking over the top of my glasses when I ride.

I have seen several glasses that come with rx adapters. Will I be happy with these, or should I just go ahead and spend the money for the real thing?

[TMB]

I can no longer wear contacts and am sick of looking over the top of my glasses when I ride.

I have seen several glasses that come with rx adapters. Will I be happy with these, or should I just go ahead and spend the money for the real thing?


I use a pair of glasses with RX adaptors and they work just fine.

No complaints, I would say possibly the best money I have spent in cycling.

[Louis]

Depends on how thick the lens is, how close it is to your eye lashes, how sweaty you get, etc.

If they made sunglasses with prescription lenses that worked for me (-10) then I'd use them, but in my case the lenses are so thick it won't work. I'm stuck with inserts. The issue with them is that they are often much closer to your eye than the non-insert type.

Keeping them clean on a long sweaty rides is a real pain and sometimes I have to stop to try to clean them, but of course everything else is soaking wet... (Some of the newer high-tech headbands seem to help.)

Good Luck
Louis

[palincss]

If they made sunglasses with prescription lenses that worked for me (-10) then I'd use them, but in my case the lenses are so thick it won't work. I'm stuck with inserts. The issue with them is that they are often much closer to your eye than the non-insert type.


If they make any kind of eyeglasses that have your prescription then they make sunglasses with your prescription. They can tint any lens. I've been using prescription lenses in Ray Ban Aviators for the past 50 years and more, and bifocals for the past 20.

[Louis]

If they make any kind of eyeglasses that have your prescription then they make sunglasses with your prescription. They can tint any lens. I've been using prescription lenses in Ray Ban Aviators for the past 50 years and more, and bifocals for the past 20.

True, but the side coverage leaves something to be desired. I can't see myself riding with Aviators, but I guess one could.

[jimp1234]

Depends on the amount of correction, and your budget. I've used both but prefer prescription. My current pair for cyling are RP Rydon's with the lenses made by Sports Optical with a progressive prescription. I like em a lot, but they were pricey.

[SoCalSteve]

Rudy Project Ketyums with inserts...Progressive lenses. Well worth the $$$. Works seamlessly. Just have to take them apart to clean them, no biggie though...

Good luck!

Steve

[sbornia]

My rx is -10 and -12. My solution for the last 5 years or so has been a nice pair of plastic frames from a cool shop (NEXT Eyewear in Oakland, FWIW) that have a fairly flat profile. That's key in my experience -- if the frame is flat, as opposed to wrap-around like regular sunglasses, it can easily take my rx. I also look for a lens size/shape that's a bit bigger than my regular glasses, so it provides more coverage from wind and light. The extra weight from the resulting larger lenses doesn't matter to me.

[Ray]

My rx is -10 and -12. My solution for the last 5 years or so has been a nice pair of plastic frames from a cool shop (NEXT Eyewear in Oakland, FWIW) that have a fairly flat profile. That's key in my experience -- if the frame is flat, as opposed to wrap-around like regular sunglasses, it can easily take my rx. I also look for a lens size/shape that's a bit bigger than my regular glasses, so it provides more coverage from wind and light. The extra weight from the resulting larger lenses doesn't matter to me.
This is pretty much my experience too, except for different prescription. Bought a frame with pretty wide lenses, not wraparound, but I've ridden with 'em in the winter, which is the most challenging time for keeping your eyes from tearing up, and they've worked well. They have progressive prescription with reading at the bottom transitioning to distance at the top, which works great on the bike and I can read cue sheets or computers much more easily than before. And they have the transition tinting that gets darker the brighter it is. They work really well - the only circumstance that's a problem is going from really bright sunlight into a dark tunnel - I have to look over the tops of them in that situation but otherwise they handle all changing conditions I've encountered.

I tried inserts once and didn't like 'em - too many layers to fog up and something about the wraparound in front of the prescription lens made everything looks weird to me. Obviously, not everyone has had this experience.

-Ray

[Sheldon4209]

I tried Rudy Projects with inserts and did not like them. Twice as many lens to clean and they would not stay up on my face. I got prescription aviator type polarized sun glasses and like them much better.

[Alan]

Call Sport RX see link and talk to Rob. He rides and helped me with a pair of Rudy Project with progressive bifocal lenses that are awesome. I can read cue sheets and see distances great and they are quite stylish.

Link is: http://www.sportrx.com/contact.asp

I am a very satisfied customer and the pricing was reasonable vs regular opticians and the evil lens crafters.

Alan

[Bruce K]

www.sportsoptical.com

Excellent service and a wide range of product.

BK

[rounder]

I was in Lenscrafters two weeks ago and asked about sunglasses for riding my bike. The girl said you should really check out the Oakleys and she showed me some. She looked up my prescription and said...sorry, you are borderline...the wrap around will not work because everything will be distorted (i already have some ewire oakleys and have no peripheral vision with them because everything is distorted). She seemed to know what she was talking about. I still need to get some new rx sunglasses but will have to settle for flatter lenses.

[Birddog]

I've Been using Bolle's with the insert for aout 15 years. I currently have the Vigilante model. The Bolle's are nice because you get 4 different lenses with them. The Rudy's are also pretty good, better lenses too.

Birddog

[fierte_poser]

I was in Lenscrafters two weeks ago and asked about sunglasses for riding my bike. The girl said you should really check out the Oakleys and she showed me some. She looked up my prescription and said...sorry, you are borderline...the wrap around will not work because everything will be distorted (i already have some ewire oakleys and have no peripheral vision with them because everything is distorted). She seemed to know what she was talking about. I still need to get some new rx sunglasses but will have to settle for flatter lenses.

Listen to Bruce K. Talk to Brett at Sports Optical. He can do things others can't do. He is a 'real' optician, as opposed to the employee of the corporate giant Lenscrafters.

Its worth the phone call.

[Louis]

Talk to Brett at Sports Optical. He can do things others can't do.

He may be good, but he's also $$$$$$.

The last time I spoke to him about some Rudy Projects we were somewhere around $700 for the whole deal. At that price I'll live with my old, hard to clean, Bolle's.

[fierte_poser]

Still worth the phone call before deciding 'It simply can't be done!' :beer:

[rounder]

Listen to Bruce K. Talk to Brett at Sports Optical. He can do things others can't do. He is a 'real' optician, as opposed to the employee of the corporate giant Lenscrafters.

Its worth the phone call.

Thanks man.

[Bruce K]

$700 !!! :eek:

You must have something really special for an Rx.

I got my last pair of Rudy Rydons with Transition lenses and I think it was a little over $400.

I haven't looked in a year but I believe "traditional" lenses (1 color - non polaraized) are less.

BK

[Louis]

I got my last pair of Rudy Rydons with Transition lenses and I think it was a little over $400.

In my case it was the RB3's. The Rydons only go to -4.

For high-minus folks I think the RB3 and the Perception are your best bet with Rudy.

[kgreene10]

Man-o-man did the same decision stress me out. What? $400 for glasses? I couldn't stand the idea and though I tried, contacts weren't my thing. For the last two years, I used my regular thin rectangular glasses with a clip-on. They sucked for cycling -- I had to look over them, the weight dug into my nose, and, even though I didn't know it, they inhibited a more aero position because of the peering over.

I fussed forever about what to replace them with and then recently bit the bullet and spent $385 for prescription Oakley flak jackets with VR28 black iridium non-polarized lenses that have about 18% light transfer.

And, they rock! They are light, comfortable, my field of vision is vastly expanded, I feel protected from the wind as if in a cockpit, and suddenly I was able to take out a full 1.5 cm in spacers and get more aero. For me, worth it. Now, I only hope they never ever get scratched!

[goblue]

Presription Maui Jim Shorelines...polarized. Oakley coudn't make my script work...Great glasses...subtle wrap around. Stylish on and off the bike. Light weight...copper colored lens...cool if I say so myself!

[r_mutt]

as a previous poster said, don't do inserts. instead of 4 surfaces that are susceptible to fogging, you effectively double it with the inserts.

i went with sport rx: http://www.bicyclerx.com/category.php?catid=1


i got a set of rudy project frames and 2 sets of lenses as they were interchagable- yellow and tinted for around $350. they come with a scratch warranty as well.

:cool:

[Charles M]

One stop for me...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/xmas08/hol08so.jpg


Two things I just don't look for anything the but the best I can get and it's shoes and glasses (ok, I geek out on everything... But just sayin)


I not only get my riding glasses from Sports Optical but my Moto, dress and casual stuff too.


Old review but still reasonable info...
SPORTS OPTICAL STORY (http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=4266)

I should run another one with all the crap I've purchased over the past couple years. Every bit of it top notch...

[Serotta_Mike]

I have a set of Oakley RX Flak Jackets that are great. Nice big lens with no rims and incredible clarity. Ordered them at my local eye dr and the lenses are cut direct by Oakley. Took less than a week to get them back from the factory. Paid about $250 for the frame plus 2 sets of lenses (lenses are interchangeable - so a set dark and set of clear). I was also able to use my health insurance vision allowance to discount the costs too.

I have used inserts/clip in lenses in the past but was distracted by the reflections, fogging, and poor vision quality.

[fierte_poser]

I should run another one with all the crap I've purchased over the past couple years. Every bit of it top notch...

Nice diction. ;)

[Bob Ross]

Two things I just don't look for anything the but the best I can get and it's shoes and glasses

+1 (though I'm not sure why it took me so long to eventually reach the same conclusion!) I spend more time in my cycling shoes than any other pair of shoes I own, why wouldn't I want the best built/most comfortable pair? Been using Specialized for a couple years and patting myself on the back for saving $250 by not buying Sidi's...until I looked closely at how much better my wife's Sidi's have held up compared to my Specialized after those few years. Screw frugality, my next pair of shoes will be Sidi.

And I've been wearing some Optic Nerve glasses with a prescription insert for about 2 years also. And I got a great deal on them -- I'm talking stupid low money: $70 all in, for the shades, the Rx insert, and having the optician grind my prescription -- so it's difficult for me to justify the "Screw frugality" mantra when it comes to eyewear. Yeah, the optics aren't entirely distortion-free, and yeah, my eyelashes brush against the insert, and yeah it's a bit of a nuisance to clean... So then I realized (lightbulb moment) that I'm wearing Rx glasses 100% of the time that I'm riding, why should I tolerate any compromises there? So I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of Oakley Radar Pitch (or Path? I forget) w/ my crazy bad prescription from SportRx, and if they're $700 well, that's what they cost. Screw frugality.

[deechee]

uh, how much do you guys pay for your glasses? Mine easily cost that much just for lenses and frames. (ie. thin lenses)

400$ seems really reasonable for sport specific glasses. Also, I just spend 300$ on contacts so...

[joelh]

Thanks for all of you input guys. I visited my local optician this morning and got sport wrap frames with brown transitions lenses. I particularly did not want polarized glasses. I ride a motorcycle also and polarized lenses behind a motorcycle visor causes some pretty bizarre effects.

The frames that I got were good to +/- 4.0 and fortunately I am just inside that. Transistion lenses were on sale, so the total cost for single vision (who needs to read a cue sheet) was $200.