Contacts or Rx Suglasses?

[janicehouston]

Does anyone else have the following problems? When I cycle with my contacts in-my eyes dry out something fierce and I have to stop and rewet with drops-a real pain! If I wear my prescription sunglasses, I have no lens alternative for low light, bad weather etc. Anybody out there have any idea how to keep eyes moist in 0% humidity or a good solution for Rx sunglasses?

[spazzdog]

I wear Rx sunglasses... but I wear some king of glasses all the time. Can't wear contacts.

I don't have changable lenses, but am researching it. For now I wear a Ray-Ban Cutter (sport glasses) with blue polorized Rx lenses... they suffice for most of the riding (road) I do.

[Trek420]

Standard glasses, photogreys. They change quickly from light to dark, sometimes the moment I come out of a tunnel, underpass for a second or two it's iffy, and they don't "wap around" so no protection from dust.

All in all, works ok.

[gabrielle]

My solution (for mtbing) was Rx lenses with the "persimmon" tint, a very light orange. They cut enough of the sunlight that I'm not squinting, yet let plenty of light through for the overcast days, and are perfect for the "dappled shade" I end up riding in a lot.

gabrielle

[annie]

Janice,

I assume you are already wearing sunglasses? I also have contacts, but rarely have the dry eye problem. My sunglasses fit fairly tight to my face and seem to keep the wind out quite well. Could you find a pair that wraps around your head to keep out as much wind/air as possible? It might help your eyes stay lubricated. Can't tell anything about the RX sunglasses....... never went that route.

annie

[janicehouston]

Annie:

I do have wraparound sunglasses. Maybe they aren't tight enough, but I think its just the lack of humidity here in the desert. Today, for example, its getting ready to rain and the humidity has climbed from 10% to 18%-it's almost high enough that your lungs don't feel like they're getting fried when you take a breath!

After reading your post, I hit the clearance sales at my favorite bike shops today and found a pair of kid's sunglasses that fit more snug. The quality is kind of dubious, but hey for $6.99 (marked down from like $55) I'll give them a shot.

Janice:)

[ragbrai40]

I wear contacts and very rarely have issues with eyes drying out. My sunglasses wrap around and keep most of the wind out, couldn't ride without 'em!

Addias makes a prescription sunglass made specifically for riding. One of the guys we rode with in RAGBRAI had a pair, and I saw several others with them on the ride. He really liked them (was not a contact wearer), only downfall when you're inside unless you have your regular glasses with you, you're stuck wearing shades indoors.

He got them at his local optometrist.

Good luck!

[lulu]

One option is to check with your eye doc... Acuvue has a new contact that is supposed to help keep your eyes moist. The downside is if you have to wear toric lenses for Astigmatism , they aren't out yet in toric's.

I wear wrap around sunglasses close to my face and I do okay... (it helps that I had my lower tear ducts plugged a couple of years ago... you might talk to your doc about that too if dryness is a problem when you are off the bike as well.

Good luck!

[caligurl]

i wear my contacts with my sunglasses... they are bigger than i normally wear (oakley half jackets) so maybe that's why i'm ok 99% of the time!

oh.. let me add.. i'm in the desert.. so it's normally hot and D-R-Y! and when it is windy... it's that nasty dry wind!

[slinkedog]

I also wear contacts and Oakley Half Jackets. Never had a problem, but we don't have the humidity issues here that you do in Utah. I grew up in Las Vegas, so I know what you're talking about!!

[Waverly]

I wear contacts when I ride as well and I generally ride with out sunglasses but my problem is watery eyes. I feel like my contacts are floating around in my eyeball. I am sure that if I had sport sunglasses or even just clear glasses that would help. Has any one had this problem?

[emily_in_nc]

Waverly,

I wear contacts when I ride and then always cycling glasses, which I wear with dark, clear, or amber lenses (interchangeable), depending on the weather. No excessive eye watering, though I do get a bit more of it in the winter when it's chillier.

I highly recommend wearing cycling glasses as a rock could pop up (from a car tire, another bike tire in front of you) and hit you in the eye. Or even more common for me is a big ole flying insect. I've whapped several of those on a sunglass lens this summer. I can only imagine how that would feel if it hit my eye instead!

I wear one of the Performance brand sunglasses for smaller faces. Very reasonably priced, easy to change the lenses, and do the job. I feel naked out there without them!

Emily

[Marshmellow]

I wear Rudy Project Rx sunglasses made by a cyclist/optician here in Denver. He makes primo Rx lenses and can fit most people with wrap frames. You can get them mail order, too, at www.sportsoptical.com

Bicycling Magazine featured him in the September 2004 issue.