Prescription sunglasses - where do I start

tenohfive

I'm after a pair of prescription sunglasses for running and cycling. I'll get this out of the way early - I can't spend £400 on Oakleys. £200 max all in.

Would I be right in thinking that the insert style tend to suffer with condensation in wet conditions? If so I'd have to rule them out.

I'm looking at either photochromatic lenses or a set including a clear pair so that I can use them in all conditions. Are there pro's and cons to going photochromatic vs. a mirrored and a clear lens approach?

Optilabs is on my list, any recommended frames that'll keep the air out on descents, give good vision when head down but stay secure when running up and down mountains?
Cilary Blue have come up; I do like the idea of getting lenses made up for my dhb Pro Triple sunglasses (bought during a contact lens experiment.)
RX Sport have been mentioned.

Are they the big three, and is there anything else I should consider?

ETA:
Of the two sites I've looked at so far, both have said, "contact us to discuss," when trying to enter my prescription. My eyesight is fairly s**te. I reckon that may be relevant.

drlodge

Depends what you need, I'm long sighted so need some correction for reading (my garmin, menu), I found the BBB Impress Reader glasses quite reasonable, which are photochromic lens with a 1.5/2.0/2.5 dioptic bifocal lense. https://www.merlincycles.com/bbb-bsg-49 ... 88486.html

BBB also do a Select optic range where you fit a prescription lens insert for £120 http://www.sportseyeweardirect.co.uk/BB ... OTOCHROMIC

Man Of Lard

No personal experience (my vision is currently better than 20/20) but all of my semi-blind buddies swear by Optilabs.

tangled_metal

You'll have difficulty getting them with any prescription worse than -6.5. I'm a lot worse than that and got told it's possible but the reality is one style will take my prescription.

If less than -8.0 puma are a possibility.

I can't remember who I contacted but I decided to put the idea on hold. The only option from that retailer looked like specsavers prescription sunglasses. As in not cycling specific at all. Just a thick framed pair to.hide 11mm thick lenses!!!! You can get thin and light lenses tinted to reduce that thickness (high refractive index lenses) but they are expensive and need to be tinted at source before being ground cut to the frame size. Ordinary lenses can be dipped to get tinted after being cut to size I got told but high RI lenses don't take a tint that way very well at all.

Good luck in your search for something. Please report back with what you find/get. I'm still hoping to get something good myself and your budget is my limit too.

mercia_man

Optilabs are great. I have the Rascals with blue mirror lens. Perfect for cycling and running and they look smart.

dov2711

Optilabs are good and very supportive with their customer care. I had a pair fall apart after a year of good wear and they done a very good deal on replacement. Pity when they turned up the frame was smoky brown rather than black but still a good transaction. After their decency I thought it rude to press the issue.

Fancied Oakleys for summer and general use so bought the frame from a reputable dealer in Spain and got it glazed by cilary blue, they are excellent and cost £180 all in for transitions lenses.

pblakeney

Assuming for distance, you need bifocal/varifocal if you want to read a Garmin etc.

wilks321

Bought some Rudy Project Rydon from Extreme Eyewear very good service and if for any reason you can't get on with the glasses etc they offer full refund. Paid £250 for prescription lenses took 10 days from ordering to receiving them.

bianchimoon

dov2711 wrote:

Optilabs are good and very supportive with their customer care. I had a pair fall apart after a year of good wear and they done a very good deal on replacement. Pity when they turned up the frame was smoky brown rather than black but still a good transaction. After their decency I thought it rude to press the issue.

Fancied Oakleys for summer and general use so bought the frame from a reputable dealer in Spain and got it glazed by cilary blue, they are excellent and cost £180 all in for transitions lenses.

plus 1 for optilabs, sent 3 frames to try out, chose the one I wanted and a pair of reactalite variofocal, back to me within the week. Dog jumped up and scratched lens (I paid for scratch protection) they said it wasn't meant to cover damage by dogs, but as a gesture of goodwill they would fix free of charge.. excellent service. One year on a nd still in excellent condition

daniel_b

I've placed two orders with RX Sport, both for prescription Oakleys, and been spot on each time.

One time was with Oakley lenses, and one time with their own brand lenses.

kingrollo

Optilabs are good.

But personally I would spend an extra £50 and go to extreme eyewear. Ive got some rudy projects from them for £250. quite simply nothing else compares.

dannbodge

I have a pair of inserted puma ones from specsavers
They were only £35 so I figured I'd give them a go.

I've only ad them mist up once and that was mid winter in fog and i was going up a hill (so face was very hot), apart from that they've been great and I love them.

coops1967

Photochromic makes most sense - then they're ok in all conditions from night to sunny days.

A good opticians will be able to choose from various lens suppliers for any wrap style sunglasses that fit you - as well as the usual suspects like Oakley or Rudy Project etc.

If you also have presbyopia (often confused with long sight... which it isn't - i.e. you need different correction for near distance reading) then there are 'sports specific' varifocal/progressive lenses available. These are not meant for long term reading (like settling down with a good book) but offer enough 'add' correction for reading golf scorecards/garmins, cafe menus... etc and avoid any issue with excessive 'swim' due to not needing to cover such a wide range of near/intermediate/distance as the regular progressive lens for all around daily wear.

tangled_metal

Still haven't found any decent cycling glasses for my -10 prescription. Anyone know of any options for sunglasses, especially ones that could be ok off the bike too?

coops1967

Problem with -10 is with that power of correction it makes it very difficult with a 'wrap' lens - even with the modern digital lens production...

Daily wear contact lenses are a better option - which you've probably been told many times already... sorry.

Or laser surgery - which i first had 20+ years ago (PRK not lasik which wasn't around yet then).

If I was going for laser eye correction now, I'd have a good look at 'Relex' laser correction - as this does not need a flap to be created which can lessen any possible issues with dry eyes or flap complications with Lasik... but on the other hand Lasik correction is better developed any can cope with -10 no problem.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-adva ... d-to-LASIK

tangled_metal

Yes wraparound glasses are out as are contacts. I last tried contacts and lasted a few months of use once or twice a week (bought for martial arts). They would leave me scratching my eyes out after less than 2 hours. Monthly toric lenses back when disposable monthly torics at my prescription was only just out. Now lens tech is so much better but I seriously doubt I could bear them now.

I think my only option is more fashion sunglasses with a flatter design.

bianchimoon

coops1967 wrote:

Photochromic makes most sense - then they're ok in all conditions from night to sunny days.

A good opticians will be able to choose from various lens suppliers for any wrap style sunglasses that fit you - as well as the usual suspects like Oakley or Rudy Project etc.

If you also have presbyopia (often confused with long sight... which it isn't - i.e. you need different correction for near distance reading) then there are 'sports specific' varifocal/progressive lenses available. These are not meant for long term reading (like settling down with a good book) but offer enough 'add' correction for reading golf scorecards/garmins, cafe menus... etc and avoid any issue with excessive 'swim' due to not needing to cover such a wide range of near/intermediate/distance as the regular progressive lens for all around daily wear.

yes I agree, photo chromatic are the best option, but be aware they don't work in cars for driving due to the UV rays not getting to them, but great for cycling in bright to dull conditions

tenohfive

Okay, I'm settled on the photochromatic option. Tint is my next question: grey, brown or green? Putting aside aesthetics, what works best for real world use? These will be my go-to glasses pretty much whenever I'm on the bike or running (including night time) so I'm keen to get it right. If I'm reading it right it seems like a toss up of brown for high contrast for picking out details (like that rock that'll take me out when running down a mountain, or pothole that'll send me over the handlebars) vs. better low light performance of grey.

And the Optilabs Magma - anyone got them?

pblakeney

tenohfive wrote:

Okay, I'm settled on the photochromatic option. Tint is my next question: grey, brown or green? Putting aside aesthetics, what works best for real world use? These will be my go-to glasses pretty much whenever I'm on the bike or running (including night time) so I'm keen to get it right. If I'm reading it right it seems like a toss up of brown for high contrast for picking out details (like that rock that'll take me out when running down a mountain, or pothole that'll send me over the handlebars) vs. better low light performance of grey.

And the Optilabs Magma - anyone got them?

I went for the Rapides. I would say that the Loubsol frames are nothing special. It is the lenses you are paying for.
I chose the Ultra 2000 lenses for the reasons that you outlined. Expensive, but I thought why compromise?

Sutton_Rider

http://www.cyclingspectacles.com/

tenohfive

PBlakeney wrote:

I went for the Rapides. I would say that the Loubsol frames are nothing special. It is the lenses you are paying for.
I chose the Ultra 2000 lenses for the reasons that you outlined. Expensive, but I thought why compromise?

I looked at the Rapides but wasn't sure if they were big enough to keep the wind out on fast descents?

kingrollo

Ive got a pair of optilabs for sale. ok you will need to get them re glazed (unless you share my -5 prescription) - but you can get this done for around £20 on the web.

£25 - pm if interested.

pblakeney

tenohfive wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

I went for the Rapides. I would say that the Loubsol frames are nothing special. It is the lenses you are paying for.
I chose the Ultra 2000 lenses for the reasons that you outlined. Expensive, but I thought why compromise?

I looked at the Rapides but wasn't sure if they were big enough to keep the wind out on fast descents?

Can't say I've had any issues. They fit fairly close. Enough that I have to raise my eyebrows when stopped on cool days or they will mist up. Will possibly depend on face size and shape though.

gavben

Any feedback on the ultra 2000 lenses? Had the Optilabs "try-out" frames, just mulling over lens choice.....

Gavin

pblakeney

gavben wrote:

Any feedback on the ultra 2000 lenses? Had the Optilabs "try-out" frames, just mulling over lens choice.....

Gavin

They don't go totally clear so no good in the dark but fine in gloomy conditions.
They don't go totally dark in bright conditions, but you wouldn't want them to for shadow detail.
Clarity as good as my non-prescription Oakleys.
I am perfectly happy with them. Not as good as the Serengetis that I lost, but they would be double the price again.

LauraMcCallister

Well, Oakley is one my favorite brand but nowadays I opt for some quality sunglasses which are available at lower rates. On searching various websites, I came across an online wholesale sunglasses supplier selling various sunglasses at best prices, they even have reading glasses and I have recently purchased a bifocal reader sunglasses with a printed frame which I liked the most in it. You must also go and look on various online stores.

coops1967

Tangled Metal wrote:

Yes wraparound glasses are out as are contacts. I last tried contacts and lasted a few months of use once or twice a week (bought for martial arts). They would leave me scratching my eyes out after less than 2 hours. Monthly toric lenses back when disposable monthly torics at my prescription was only just out. Now lens tech is so much better but I seriously doubt I could bear them now.

I think my only option is more fashion sunglasses with a flatter design.

You could look at Scleral contact lenses...

These sound a bit scary as they are large sized 'hard' (i.e. rigid gas permeable) lenses... BUT

I tried hard rgp lenses first many, many years ago and could never get used to them (the itch factor on the eyelids when blinking etc) so used soft lenses for a few years before the laser PRK.

Now, with worsening astigmatism and presbyopia, and some distance vision correction requirements... (!) and my now flatter (post PRK) cornea being unsuitable for lasik... a good optometrist advised scleral lenses.

They take a bit of time to fit - but the lens sits on the white of the eyes (the sclera, hence the name) and actually doesn't touch the cornea area (the time to fit is due to ensuring the lens is correct curvature etc to give the proper gap between lens and cornea)... and because they sit over the white of your eyes, your eyelids are already 'over' them even when eyes are open, so they are surprisingly comfortable - not as immediately comfy as the best soft ones, but nothing whatsoever like regular rgp lenses.
Plus - they do not move around like rgp or even soft, so proper astigmatism correction can me made for both external (eyeball shape) and internal (eye lens) astigmatism.
Plus - the saline filled gap between it and the cornea is good for 'dodgy' or damaged corneas, and allows for comfortable long term wear...

I'll be getting my set when i get back home from the oil rig... fingers crossed it'll work out ( went for a monovision option so one lens will be deliberately underpowered to leave it a bit short sighted to improve general near vision reading).

mercia_man

Is this a fake post on an old thread to advertise these specs? First post by a new forum member.

kingstongraham

mercia_man said:

Is this a fake post on an old thread to advertise these specs? First post by a new forum member.

Spam. Flag it and when it gets 5 flags, it disappears.