Contacts or Glasses?

Hi all,

I'm new to cycling. I need glasses for distance vision only -- so I wear them when I drive, cycle or at the back of a room reading a presentation. I am frustrated when I ride that the prescription sunglasses are dark enough that when I'm in the shade I can really see the road at times to detect potholes etc. I have never tried contacts, since I don't wear my glasses all the time. However, I'm thinking that contacts might be a good solution -- I can take my sunglasses off to see in the shade.

Or my other thought is the photo grey sunglasses that would be prescription and would change with the light.

Any thoughts or experienced advice from this group would be appreciated.

BikerGirlSJ

I find contacts to be the most important part of my cycling gear.

But then I'm so deeply myopic (nearsighted) that when I wear my glasses instead of my contacts I can trip walking out of an escalator and have to turn my head down to eat because I can't see what's in my plate in the small gap between the bottom of my glasses and my cheeks.

Still, having the capacity to easily change the shade of my sunglasses (from yellow to brown to pink) is really nice.

I hate wearing my glasses to ride. I lose all the peripheral vision I have when I have contacts, like what Grog described - I'm also very nearsighted.

It's worst when I am trying to glance over my shoulder to look for traffic, etc. Can't see a thing unless I dramatically turn my head so I can look through the glasses. I've only had to wear glasses a few times, after scratching my cornea for example, so I have been lucky.

I've been wearing contacts for 25 years. The reason I got them to begin with was when I started racing bicycles and needed my peripheral vision back.

I've just reached the age where I have no close vision at all without my "cheaters." A couple of months ago I had a stye in my eye and had to go without contacts for a week or so, so I went riding in glasses. I really enjoyed being able to read the maps on my computer without having to stop and dig my cheaters out of my jersey pocket! I didn't miss my peripheral vision as much as I thought I would.

What I missed most was my rear-view mirror, since it won't fit on my prescription glasses, only my sunglasses.

I'm back to wearing my contacts now. But honestly I don't have a strong feeling either way about which is best for cycling, for myself with my presbyopia. The higher the speed, the more I miss the peripheral vision. I definitely took it easy on the descents when I was wearing glasses, and I'd never wear glasses on the motorcycle if I could help it. My rides were in the country though. In traffic, it would be a whole different situation, and I agree with MP.

Hi Bikergirlsj,

Sounds like my vision is similar to yours. I can see pretty well without my glasses/contacts, but it's things like driving, or reading the board in class that I really need them for.

When I first got my contacts (3 years ago), I rarely wore them. But when I did, it was usually so I could be more flexible with sunglasses. Or if I was doing something active.

Now I wear them everyday. This is in part because of cycling, which I do nearly everyday. (I hate wearing glasses on the bike...peripheral vision issues other mentioned). They really just make my life much simpler, and I can wear whichever of my many sunglasses I choose :cool:

I say go for it!

I'm a glasses wearer. I'm pretty nearsighted, but I've never worn contacts for cycling or otherwise. I have photo sensitive, wrap around glasses that I love. I don't have any peripheral vision problems at all. The biggest drawback was the expense. Mine are custom so they were a bit pricey.

Even with contacts, having sunglasses that allow you to see when you move from sun to shade remains an issue. My best bike purchase this summer was a pair of Tifosi sunglasses that not only are photosensitive, but go almost clear in low light situations.

For the record, I'm blind as a bat and wear gas permeable sunglasses. I've never tried riding with my glasses on and I imagine I'd have peripheral vision issues. I just see much better with my contacts. I lost one on a ride last year, but I've otherwise had few issues with them. I absolutely must have sunglasses on when I ride though. Dirt, debris and the like are a no no with the gas perms.

To be honest, I don't know if taking your sunglasses off when you come into a shady area is the easiest solution. At least in my neck of the woods, shade is synonymous with bad drainage and potholes. Both hands have to be on the handlebars.....

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Originally Posted by indysteel

. . .and wear gas permeable sunglasses.

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Um, what? I should hope! :p


I'm very nearsighted and petrified to ride while wearing my glasses. No peripheral vision at all and I have to swivel my head constantly when riding on the road to see what's going on around me.

Mtbiking, my depth perception is way too screwed up because I'm processing stuff in my entire field of vision trying to pick lines. With the coke bottle effect, I can only process a very narrow range.

Hi bikergirlsj,

I used to wear contacts and sunglasses while riding, but a few years ago I switched to a pair of prescription lenses in Oakley frames. My lenses are Transitions -- they get darker or lighter depending on the light conditions. I got the setup at my optometrists, and it was covered under VSP as my frame & lenses purchase for the year.

I've given up a little peripheral vision, but it's not that bad, since my correction is in the 1.5 - 1.75 range. I like the no muss, no fuss solution, and that I don't have to worry about my contacts drying out.

- Melissa

I find my contacts really dry out when I'm on longer, steeper downhills (doing 50 kmh or faster). They feel like they're going to pop right out and I end up slowing down a lot. Anyone else have this problem? I wear good sunglasses.

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Originally Posted by kelownagirl

I find my contacts really dry out when I'm on longer, steeper downhills (doing 50 kmh or faster). They feel like they're going to pop right out and I end up slowing down a lot. Anyone else have this problem? I wear good sunglasses.

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I've had that happen when I'm tense and not blinking enough.

My eyes tear sometimes but I can't find the perfect glasses. My eyes are prominent so the frames end up having to sit away from my face enough clear my lashes but leave a gap at my eyebrows.

Glasses are very important to protect your eyes from flying debris.

I wear prescription glasses--Tifosi wraparound cycling glasses (I think the model name is Alpine or Alpe). They work great.

I am blind in my left eye, so there's no peripheral vision there anyways. I use a rearview mirror on my left handlebar (by Ortleib, $20). It's very helpful. I never wear headphones because I depend on my hearing. If I do have to look behind me, I have to swivel to the right.

In my opinion, protecting your vision is really, really important, and sometimes we take it for granted. With only one eye, I don't have a backup, so I'm just extra careful.

I wear eyeglasses- graduated lenses to help me with both distance and reading vision. When biking, I wear Eagle Eyes polarized sunglass called "fit-ons' that go right over my regular glasses:
http://www.eagleeyes.com/products/staclips/fitons.lasso
They are very comfy, don't look weird, and are goggle-like- protecting me from wind, bugs, pebbles, sun, glare, and even freezing temps.
I really like them.

I've recently gone back to wearing contacts after many years away. My right eye is my distance eye, my left is for reading.

The advantage for me is that I can now read the little numbers on the computer, or Google Maps on my cell.

BTW, I was riding blind before. Well not that bad.

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Originally Posted by tulip

Glasses are very important to protect your eyes from flying debris.

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+1

I make sure I wear clear lenses when I commute at night, even though the speed is very low.

I am very nearsighted and have worn soft contacts for about 30 years. I have cycling sunglasses with 4 shades of lenses. Actually I have 2 pairs; one I keep in my purse for "regular" wear with the darkest lenses. Sometimes I wear them cycling. The other pair, I keep in my bike "cubby" and those have the lighter brown lenses in. I find those fine for most days. I have put the yellow lenses in a couple of times for cloudy/rainy days and if there's any chance of changing conditions, I bring those with me.
I am also pretty farsighted now and wear my reading glasses over my contacts about 50% of the time. I can still see my bike computer, though without them. I stick them in my bike bag, more in case I have to change a flat.
I could never ride with my regular glasses on. They are transition lenses, like Lisa's, but I only wear them when I get into bed. The few times I have had to drive with them freaked me out because I was constantly looking down and I couldn't see through the near vision part! I have never had an issue with contacts during a ride.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikergirlsj

Hi all,

I'm new to cycling. I need glasses for distance vision only -- so I wear them when I drive, cycle or at the back of a room reading a presentation. I am frustrated when I ride that the prescription sunglasses are dark enough that when I'm in the shade I can really see the road at times to detect potholes etc. I have never tried contacts, since I don't wear my glasses all the time. However, I'm thinking that contacts might be a good solution -- I can take my sunglasses off to see in the shade.

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But are you going to be able to take your sunglasses off on the bike? Around here, I'm moving in and out of the shade constantly, I have no idea how I'd take my sunglasses on and off? So I'm not sure that really solves your problem.

I wear prescription sunglasses, but carry my regular glasses with me in my saddle bag. That way, if the light changes enough (i.e. riding at dusk or so), I can swap out the dark lenses for the regular ones.

But for just shade, I don't notice any issue with seeing the road etc - perhaps your lenses are too dark?

I typically wear progressive glasses (with transitions) for normal daily wear at work and at home, but for riding or other sports I wear soft contacts (one reading, one distance since I am in my late 40s and both near- and far-sighted!) with sunglasses over. I have the cycling sunglasses with three different color lenses, which really helps for different light conditions. The darkest tint my regular glasses get to with the Transitions is not really dark enough for riding on the road (my eyes are very light-sensitive), and there's the peripheral vision issue that others have mentioned, so I highly recommend contacts with multi-lens sunglasses for riding. I wear Focus Daily disposable contacts, which are nice since you just toss them out after that day -- no cleaning or solutions needed. They're pricier, but not bad if you don't wear them all the time.

Good luck!
Emily