[Nature Boy]

I'm trying to decide whether to get contact lenses and biking glasses (Oakley Half Jackets)

OR

to get Rx lenses installed in the same frames.

I figure that I'll get disposable lenses so that if anything happens to either lens or frame i'm "only" out 100 bucks instead of $400.


Any advice on contacts + sunglasses vs pure Rx lenses?

 

[XC Roadee]

I have a pair of addidas shades w/ the prescription inserts, I'm getting ready to swtich to contacts because they fog up too much. I'm sure it's worked both ways for some but based on my experience I will be going to contacts

 

[Joeslow2]

If you can stand wearing the contacts its probably cheaper. I couldnt and I wear Rudy Project RB3's (flip up shades) with perscription insert. They were a heck of alot cheaper than $400 and I can change lens colors for $20-$30.

 

[Travis]

have lasiks performed

after fighting contacts in sports for years I wouldn't go back. Best couple of grand you will spend

 

[sol 518]

I wear contacts and sunglasses without any problems. The one thing I would suggest is that if you have problems with your eyes getting dry get a pair of sunglasses with a lot of coverage to keep the wind out of your eyes.

 

[Drewhart2002]

Both.
Nine times out of 10, I wear my Oakleys over my contacts. If my eyes are bothering me or my contacts are being cleaned, I slip the prescription lenses in the Half Jacket frames.
Best of both worlds.

 

[reklar]

Yeah, I think both options are pretty good. If my eyes are irritated or dry, Rx sunglasses are great. It's not like on a mountain bike where the bouncing around bothers you (it is worse if you have an astigmatism). I'd never wear glasses on a mountain bike, but on a road bike that isn't as much of an issue in general. Edit: Non-Rx sunglasses are a must with contacts however, even if it isn't very sunny (clear lenses).

 

[HSalas]

Go with contacts and non-rx eyewear...

Back in the day, I used to wear rx sports goggles (now that was quite a sight!) with clip-on sunglasses. Kept fogging up and had terrible peripheral vision. Very clunky, besides. When I went to contacts in general, I started with Oakley Factory Pilots (I still have them, too) and never looked back...

Now I'm using a cheapo pair of M Frame/Sweep lookalikes; they work well with my face shape to keep enough of the wind out to not dry my eyes, but not enough to have that goggle feeling.

 

[TylerDurden]

if you go for some prescription sunglasses, thoroughly check out the reviews on them. i think i remember reading about the oakley m frame prescription lense inserts having lots of problems.

 

[uraqt]

oakley no issues

M pro frame with oakley inserts, very costly about 300 to 400. Mime have lasted over 5 years, i ride 3-4 times a week and still going strong, worth every penny. If/when they fail/i breal them, they will be replaced with the same ones. In fact i'm thing think about buying a back up pair in case oakley stops making them (lol)

c

 

[Argentius]

Cheapie disposable contacts are really ... cheap. The expensive part is the eye exam -- for me, it was $90 -- and at costco I got 2 boxes of 6 lenses for $50.

They're supposed to be "2 week" lenses, but since I pretty much only wear them to ride, those 2 boxes lasted about 18 months.

 

[iliveonnitro]

My mom had laser eye corrective surgery...it was fixed for a week or so and then she went from near sighted to far sighted. Maybe it's because she's just so old her body couldn't truly be fixed?

 

[Toothpick]

after fighting contacts in sports for years I wouldn't go back. Best couple of grand you will spend

I had lasik done and am very pleased with the result. I'm hoping to pay for the surgery with the savings on glasses/contacts.

 

[JayTee]

Having been with folks who are stuck with prescription sunglasses after dusk (and no contacts and no regular specs) I vastly prefer contacts and over-the-counter sunglasses.

 

[Seamus]

after fighting contacts in sports for years I wouldn't go back. Best couple of grand you will spend

Second that. My eyes wouldn't tolerate contacts, so I had to deal with 'sport specs', or for watersports, uncorrected 20/400 . Now 20/15 and my only regret is I didn't do it sooner.

Jim

 

[txgal]

Contacts and regular sunglasses are the way to go if lasik is out of the question. I ride this way all the time. My main problem with putting perscription lenses in and riding with those was that I didn't have as much peripheral vision, it's only a sliver less than I get with contacts and sunglasses, but that sliver makes a big difference. Plus the ability to swap out lenses based on conditions is a huge plus.

 

[Joeslow2]

Having been with folks who are stuck with prescription sunglasses after dusk (and no contacts and no regular specs) I vastly prefer contacts and over-the-counter sunglasses.

http://www.e-rudy.com/pages/sunglasses/rb3.htm
http://www.e-rudy.com/pages/sunglasses/exception.htm

You dont get "stuck" and you still have some protection from the wind.

 

[MarkS]

Another vote for contacts

Contacts and regular sunglasses are the way to go if lasik is out of the question. I ride this way all the time. My main problem with putting perscription lenses in and riding with those was that I didn't have as much peripheral vision, it's only a sliver less than I get with contacts and sunglasses, but that sliver makes a big difference. Plus the ability to swap out lenses based on conditions is a huge plus.

I wear contacts and regular sunglasses. I also wear yellow or clear lenses in my sunglasses in low light or dark conditions. Unless I have forgotten my glasses (like today), I rarely ride without any type of protective lenses over my contacts. In six years of wearing contacts, I never have had a problem. However, I do carry a spare pair of contacts in my saddle bag -- just in case.

 

[whc]

Problems with contacts

I wore one contact for distance vision for years but gave it up after having it blow out of my eye a couple of times at 45-50 MPH. One time it was during a race and cost me a place or two. I was wearing good wrap around Rudy project sunglasses at the time. You never know when a cross wind will hit popping out the contact. Suddenly your vision goes blurry. It might not be as much of a problem for those who wear them in both eye- at least you'd still have distance vision in one eye.

 

[Eric_H]

Contact lenses

I'm trying to decide whether to get contact lenses and biking glasses (Oakley Half Jackets)

OR

to get Rx lenses installed in the same frames.

I figure that I'll get disposable lenses so that if anything happens to either lens or frame i'm "only" out 100 bucks instead of $400.


Any advice on contacts + sunglasses vs pure Rx lenses?

I'll add my experiences. I used to use sunglasses with the prescription inserts (the old Bolle system from the mid-90s and later the Rudy Project system). This setup was OK, but had its limits. For instance, when out on a training ride or casual ride, I would have to wear them if I went into a store to get food/water or if the group stopped for coffee. Kind of dorky, but not the end of the world. What really changed my mind was when we moved to a pretty wet climate. All of a sudden riding and racing with the prescription insert setup became a real problem for me. The 4 lens surfaces had a tendency to accumulate water and in a race with rain falling and spray from other riders' wheels, I was more or less racing blind. The final straw was a few years ago when I had to drop out of my "home" race, a tough one on a technical hilly suburban circuit, not because of my legs but because I simply could not see well enough in the rain and spray and I was a hazard to myself and anyone around me. I vowed to only wear my regular glasses in future rainy races, but even they can be a liability and of course they can't be taken off either. That fall, I started to investigate contact lenses and I made the switch to a monthly disposable toric soft lens over winter.

What a difference! I can wear them comfortably for longish periods of time if I have to and I do not have problems with dry eyes. Initially, I would have some drying out if I wore them at work (hospital environment, VERY dry air) but over a few months my body began to compensate by producing more natural tears. For riding they are superb. I have better peripheral vision and I am not completely reliant on having glasses on. In low light or rain, I can ride without glasses and not have problems. I have done some very rainy and windy races where my glasses have been off after 15 minutes and the course has been both wet and dirty (think muddy face like the guys in Amstel Gold last Sunday) and I have had no problems. I have never had a lens pop out in a crosswind and contrary to most people's experiences, when I ride without glasses the wind actually acts as a tearing agent and helps with moisture. Sometimes if I have glasses on and I feel my eyes are dry (eye moisture varies from day to day, IME) I will take my glasses off to get a bit of wind in my eyes to aid in tear production.

IME, the most important thing is to have a good contact lens fitting and work with the optometrist to ensure the lenses are a good fit to the eyeball. There are different sizes and curvatures, and they vary by manufacturer as well. A good vision clinic can get you set up with trial lenses before you commit to a big purchase.