prescription glasses

Ellio

I am just after a bit of advice from other optically challenged people. I am short sighted and have been for a few years now and i wear my glasses a fair bit for seeing in the distance (driving, Cinema, cycling) and i have been looking at getting some for riding. I have seen these that have taken my fancy http://www.lens-wear.co.uk/details.php? ... i-Guard+40 or at least that idea of glasses with inter-changeable lenses. The problem I have is I am not to sure about ordering them on line and what prescription I need as you need to tell them your "Inter Pupillary Distance" what every that is supposed to mean and lots of other stuff.

So anyway my questions are has anyone ever bought glasses from on line and if so how easy was it? Or can you suggest a good place to go to to find something like the glasses I have linked as I cant find them on any of the major high street opticians.

many thanks

BeardedDave

Looks like the glasses you link to take a prescription insert. I had some like this for a while (Adidas Evil Eyes). They were ok, but weren't great. They had a habit of misting up and because you have inserts, you get two layers of mist, so can't see a thing! I switched to some from these people a couple of years ago and find them much better: http://www.optilabs.com/site/prods.php?pfid=0,8,11 They are prescription lenses, so don't need an insert. They react to the light conditions, so you don't have to worry about changing lenses.

cee

Ellio,

While the prescription glasses are great in principle, I prefer contact lenses.

I find that peripheral vision comes into it's own when riding trails, and this is something, which for me at least stops at the edge of my glasses.

As I said, contact lenses give me the advantage of 'normal' peripheral vision, and I can then buy ordinary cycling glasses, which to my mind are a whole lot cheaper than the equivalent prescription versions.

As I say, this is really my preference. If you feel that presription glasses are for you, then the easiest way is to get a copy of your prescription from your optician (or get a new eye exam), and use the details from that.

C

Ellio

I do have contacts as well but not sure I will get on with them whilst riding as I tend to find they dry my eyes out if i wear them for to long. I may give them a try next time i go for a long ride though

Mrs Toast

I agree with Cee - I always wear contact lenses for biking. It's actually given me a lot more confidence - peripheral vision is awesome!

I also wear biking sunglasses though, just to stop stuff from getting in my eyes - still gives me better peripheral vision than my normal glasses, and are a damn sight cheaper.

If you have trouble with them drying out, you can always get the contact lens eyedrops, but I think you'll have less problems with them riding than in 'day-to-day' life. I never wear them to work, because your blink rate tends to drop if you're in front of a computer screen all day, and add air-conditioning to that...I just find them uncomfortable after a while. I don't have problems with them riding though.

BeardedDave

Not everyone is comfortable in contact lenses. Personally I find them very difficult to get on with in every day useage and can't wear them at all, on the bike.

Never once had issues with peripheral vision wearing glasses. I wear glasses all day every day, whether on the bike or not. It's just something you get used to. If I can't see what I want to see, I turn my head.

iajo

Daily disposable lenses are great, i havent had any problems with them though in the beginning they were uncomfortable and used to dry out. Wear them everyday and after a while that goes. Best thing about dailies is you can take spares although ive only ever had one fall out once in about a year and a half.

dennisn

Strangely enough I just got back from the eye doctor this morning and in talking with him
he said that glasses that have a lot of "sweep" to them(like the ones you want) are very hard to put corrective lenses in. Even though they say you can. He said that while it can be done you might not be happy with the vision results. Anyway, he suggested frames
with less curve in them(flatter) would give me better all around vision. So, that's my story
and take on the subject. I went for a flatter frame. Besides I'm way to old to be "cool".

Dennis Noward

Ellio

I have dailies at the moment as well and do get on with them but they just aren't as comfy as glasses and tbh I don't want something that is going to irritate my eyes whilst on a ride and end up rubbing grease/dirt in them or something.

sniper68

I have glasses from Optilabs and have no problem at all,and my vision without glasses is BAD.My right eye is +4.25 or something like that.I'd love contact lenses but are unable to get them for my eye condition.My condition can't be sorted by laser treatment either so prescription riding glasses are a godsend for such as me.

stubs

dennisn wrote:

Strangely enough I just got back from the eye doctor this morning and in talking with him
he said that glasses that have a lot of "sweep" to them(like the ones you want) are very hard to put corrective lenses in. Even though they say you can. He said that while it can be done you might not be happy with the vision results. Anyway, he suggested frames
with less curve in them(flatter) would give me better all around vision. So, that's my story
and take on the subject. I went for a flatter frame. Besides I'm way to old to be "cool".

Dennis Noward

I bought a pair of prescription sunnies off Optilabs had my eyes tested first and my pupil distance measured properly. When the glasses came I tried them out and ouch after about 15 minutes of wearing them banging headache with weird distorted vision. Thought the prescription was wrong so I took them to my optician to get them tested they were spot on the prescription but the optician said the curved frames dont suit all people. Optilabs were great and refunded my money no problem

stumpyjon

Well another vote for daily use contact lenses from me. For those of you saying they are uncomfortable, dry out, sounds like you need to go back to your opticians and have the fit etc. checked. They are many different brands out there with different water contents and fit. There should be a make out there that works for you.

Personally I hate wearign my glasses off the bike yet alone on the bike.

stubs

Wish I could wear contacts have tried them twice with two different types, both left me looking like I had been poked in the eye with a pencil. You guys who can wear contacts I hate you you lucky barstids.

mcbazza

Well, I'm going to vote for.... laser eye surgery!!

I appear to have been just about the only person in the World that actually paid the "from" price (£395/eye - £790 the pair).

And, despite complications with just my right eye (reverting to prescription, and needing glasses for a few months) I'd go through it all again and recommend it to all.

I wore glasses for the best part of 18yrs, and even a couple of years with gas permeable contacts. But, *no* glasses is the best of all!! (Although, I nearly always ride in Specialized Half-Time's)

cee

don't get me wrong.. i have worn glasses for 25 years, i like my bins, they are part of me and I prefer wearing them 90% of the time. Only really wear the contacts for sports.

when wearing my glasses, if something is outside of my field of vision, yes i too just turn my head, but this is something i would rather not have to do whilst blasting down some singletrack, when my peripheral vision is far better at that sort of thing (peripheral vision much faster response etc).



As I said, contacts are my personal preference whilst riding....if you prefer glasses then really I have no opinion on that either way!

I too have looked at laser surgery and have decided I am having it done before the summer.

I am -4.25 in the left and -3.75 in the right, with astigmatism, but have had consultations with 2 companies who both say I am suitable. Although...not for the advertised 'from' price...I am looking at more like £3000 fro the pair....oooyah but i feel it will be worth it.



*addition....

actually thinknig about it....the peripheral vision thing will be more noticable to those with poorer vision....if your correction is slight, then maybe the peripheral vision thing doesn't affect you as much and glasses in that case would be better....This might be one of those personal preference due to personal gain things.

Northwind

One thing worth mentioning with contacts is that they almost always feel weird and uncomfortable on the first try, and will be very noticable and often will dry out fast until you adapt to them- this isn't directed at any one person but often people say "I tried contacts and didn't like it" without ever giving it long enough. First time I got contacts, I gave up after 2 days, glad I didn't leave it there... I still don't wear them all the time but for cycling and other sports I wouldn't be without them.

lost-time

Just to add my tuppence worth as I worked in Optics for 11 yrs and wear both CL and specs.
I wear specs for driving and sometimes telly and cinema. Never really notice the need for biking until my Rx worsened a little. I started off wearing daily CL and normal shades over the top. I've always worn non-rx specs whilst biking. My eyes feel a little too dry for all-day comfort with CL in, also I have a tiny amount of astigmatism but only wear spherical CL so vision with CL is not as sharp as with specs....although it is better than w/o any correction.
I got a pair of Oakley frames and Oakley polarising Rx lenses but found them a little too dark for more overcast days. The next year I got some from Optilabs with the photochromic/polarising lenses. These are far better for the duller days and ok for very bright days. The optilabs are a newer rx than the Oakleys but the Oakleys are MUCH better optically. The image just seems more vibrant. I still wear CL if it's exceptionally wet and muddy but may start to wear them more as I feel I need to wear correction more now. Also the Oakleys were close to £300 where as the Optilabs were about half that but the quality of the O's is fantatstic....but thats not to say the Optilabs are bad.

sniper68

I wanted Oakleys but they don't make them for my prescription.Infact after loads of e-mails/phone calls there was only Optilabs that did :roll:

The Spiderman

It might be a bit extreme,but after years of suffering with a condition called kerataconus in my left eye,which affected the cornea,I had a corneal graft,2 years ago and then 2 weeks ago an ICL implant.

The ICL impant is rather like a small contact lens which is put in,between the iris and the lens.

For the first time for nearly 20 years when my left eye started to deteriorate,the vision in my left eye is good enough not to require correction.In my right eye I use daily disposable contact lenses.

My point is there ,are some good solutions out there,as alternatives to wearing glasses these days,and both my operations were completely painless,the last being performed under local aneaesthetic and taking about 45 mins.

I would always reccomend that you wear a pair of safety specs or eye protectin whilst riding,even more so on an mtb.

Ellio

Thing is I have absolutely no problem with wearing glasses and tbh I would probably still wear glasses if i were to wear contacts on the bike to help against dusty etc so think whats the point of wearing contacts and glasses when i can just wear glasses

zeroseven

This is something I am passionate about.
Get them lasered. Do it. I've travelled to over 60 countries (photographer) and seen the most wonderful, dreadful and simply unbelievable things, but the the day i had my procedure beats them all. It takes 3 seconds. thats it. Did it 10 years ago and I still wake during the night to look out of the window and marvel at the sharpness I never had with glasses or contacts

Do it
Do it
Do it

sniper68

zeroseven wrote:

This is something I am passionate about.
Get them lasered. Do it. I've travelled to over 60 countries (photographer) and seen the most wonderful, dreadful and simply unbelievable things, but the the day i had my procedure beats them all. It takes 3 seconds. thats it. Did it 10 years ago and I still wake during the night to look out of the window and marvel at the sharpness I never had with glasses or contacts

Do it
Do it
Do it

Would love to mate,really would but mine can't be done.I had 4 "operations"on my eyes in the 70s and "butchered" is probably a good way of explaining how the good old NHS treated my blinkers.

zeroseven

ibbo68 wrote:

Would love to mate,really would but mine can't be done.I had 4 "operations"on my eyes in the 70s and "butchered" is probably a good way of explaining how the good old NHS treated my blinkers.

Very sorry to hear that mon ami, but never say never. I'm sure you're up to speed, but in case not, DONT assume its not possible. The advancement in ophthalmic procedures, even since I had mine done, is incredible.

Best of luck.

woodywmb

Tesco will test your eyes and give you prescription sports glasses for £35. They will then issue you with the prescription which you can send to Optilabs for a £140 pair. Both sets of glasses are good, the dearer ones are better. You get what you pay for, of course. Tesco will reorder glasses for you which can be delivered in two or three days. They hold the prescription details just as any optician does - but Tesco is open longer and is often more convenient. You could leave your glasses behind on the trail one weekend and have a new pair ready for the following weekend.