Has anybody solved the problem of wearing glasses to ride?

[Phatman]

I am a fan of optilabs too. They sorted my varifocal prescription with an astigmatism thrown in for good measure and they work well whether using drops or uprights.

[Bill D]

Thanks folks, lots of useful stuff here.

It's a problem for me on any bike with drops: what I realised on the turbo was that for years my eyesight problems have made riding any bike with dropped handlebars problematical, and I have mostly kept to straight handlebars for the last 20 years without realising that the underlying problem has got nothing to do with reach, backache etc.

On the turbo, I do use a gizmo to raise the front wheel to the same height as the back one.

I have used Optilabs before (prescription swimming goggles). In view of the positive comments about their cycling glasses, I'll book an appointment to go and see them and find out what they can do to help.

Thanks again, everyone. I'm quite optimistic now that this will soon be sorted.

Bill

[Big T]

Why do you need to wear glasses on the turbo?

I've been a contact lens wearer for years but have recently started cycling in my normal specs. They don't slip down my nose but I do find sweat drips onto them. This is reduced if I wear a Buff under my helmet, but still happens. you can buy a string that fits around the back of your head and onto the glasses and stops them slipping.

I bought some Sports sunglasses from Optilabs but couldn't get on with them. I found that because they have curved lenses, they distorted the image and seemed to compress everything in the vertical plane. It felt like I was riding a bike that was only 1ft high and was riding with my head 18 inches above the tarmac.

[baza_2008]

laser eye treatment or a recumberent. not sure what is cheaper though.

[tonym1959]

Fabric plaster over the arm of the glasses behind the ears. Worked when i went parachuting.

[Andy S]

Bill,

you may also want to consider Rudy Project who can provide clip in RX frames for some of their 'glasses - take the RX frame to your local optician an they can fit the lenses.

There are advantages to these if your prescription is still changing. I bought some 'glasses in the January sales a few years back (along with the clip in frame) and have the lenses changed. Works for me.

Wiggle have Rudy P's in (don't know about the clip in RX frame though); http://www.wiggle.co.uk/m/Cycle/7/Rudy_Project/[url]

and.

[diapason]

I've got the Rudy insert on a pair of Ekynox frames. Not bad, but the vision is far from perfect. My optician blames the strength of my prescription -v- the curvature of the lenses

N

[mick skinner]

i had a pair of rudy project sun glasses with the prescription inserts, years ago. they were very fiddly to remove and re-insert the prescription bit. when i cleaned them i'd end up with lots of finger prints on them because of how fiddly they were to re-assemble. very good sunnies on their own though, i had the ones with the orange tint.

got a pair of ray-ban wayferers (blues brothers glasses) fitted with prescription shaded lenses this week, went out riding in them on mountain bike, very good; comfortable, didn't slip down my nose at all, it was as if they were glued to my face. they don't look as slick as oakleys or rudys or anything that fancy, but recommended none the less.

[rjb]

I was surprised no-one mentioned the simplest solution. A couple of thin elastic bands attached to the arms of the specs and looped behind your head. I have tried this successfully before eventually getting a better fitting set of specs. If you choose thin bands they are almost invisible!

[Gisen]

I got wavefront Lasik eye surgery from optical express. Cost a grand per eye - its come down a lot since - but it was definitely worth it. I'd have spent more than that on contact lenses, solutions and glasses since then, and I now have 20/20 vision.

Not painful at all, btw, and the whole operation took about 10 minutes. (was like 1/2 a day for all the form filling in and waiting about and checks though).

[skrx]

I wear glasses all the time (I'm shortsighted, so without them I can't do important things like read roadsigns. I don't think it would be legal for me to drive a car without wearing them).

If they're too loose, just take them to the opticians and ask them to adjust the frame slightly. My most recent pair were too loose, they'd slip down when I was just walking, but it was 2 minutes work for the optician to make them fit.

[pete75]

It seems the many cyclists who wear Oakley sunglasses have. These are held on by the arms gripping the side of the head rather than looping behind the ears.
Couldn't you have Oakley frames fitted with prescription lenses?

[bod]

With out wanting to sound facetious maybe wearing less clothing will help with the sweating.
I have quite loose glasses too that don't have those silicone pads most glasses have but it's not too much of a problem as I try to keep cool.
Hopefully this is helpful,
Matt

[oxford_guy]

In case you haven't completely written-off contact lenses - have you tried the new generation of contact lenses that are made of a completely different material that lets in loads more oxygen and stay more moist e.g Acuvue Advance:
http://www.acuvue.com/products-acuvue-advance.htm

I know a number of people (including myself) who couldn't get on with "regular" contact lenses for more than a few hours a day, but find these comfortable to wear for up to 18 hours a day! They're fantastic, I change them every 2 weeks and, if you order them online, online, only cost about £65 for a 6 month supply!

[NUKe]

Just steering this thread in a slightly different direction Has anybody found an anti fog spray that works for Glasses.