Oakley prescription sports glasses

[Revolution]

I agonised for weeks about buying a pair of prescription sports glasses, they are not cheap and you can't try before you buy so it's a scary proposition but having taken a gamble 3 months ago, I am very pleased with them so I hope that if you are considering making a similar purchase, my experience may be of help.
I wear glasses all the time and have in the past had a pair of sports glasses with prescription inserts. These I didn't get on with. Riding a bike with drop handlebars, I was continually looking at the top of the insert and not through the main part of the lens. My normal specs were OK when riding but I was conscious that in event of an accident, the nose pieces could injure my eye so I finally splashed out on a pair of Oakley Flak Jacket
These glasses fit very close to the face so even with a head down, on drop bars, riding position, I can comfortably look through the lens and not at the top part of the frame.
Being close to the face also limits the amount of wind blowing back into my eyes that makes them water.
They do fog up a bit if I stop riding when it's particularly cold but no more than my normal glasses did.
They are light weight and seem rugged and will hopefully last a long while.
The prescription works well and I get clear vision all around.
The coating is excellent. I went for transition grey - In low light conditions they transmit nearly 100% of the light so are fine at night but they darken in the light making them comfortable even in bright sun meaning you only need one pair whatever the weather - just as well given the price!
I chose to purchase on-line - http://www.extreme-eyewear.co.uk they cost just under £300 but that was more than £100 cheaper than I could find them on the high street.
Although an on-line shop, if you email a question they are very good at responding. What is more, the staff who reply seem to know what they are talking about.
Along with your prescription, you are also asked to provide your 'pupil distance' a measurement from the centre of one eye to the other. Apparently Extreme Eyewear will send you a special measuring tape to determine this. There are also web sites that claim to be able to do this using downloadable Aps but if you want my advice, given the amount of cash you are shelling out, it is this - phone your optician. If they have provided you with a pair of glasses in the last couple of years they will have taken this measurement and although they may not be entirely happy about giving it to you they shouldn't object and then you know it is accurate.
Finally, before clicking 'buy' check and double check that you have typed your prescription and your PD into the order details correctly.
I hope you find this info useful - good luck!

[leftpoole]

Hi
I purchased a set of Oakley with fitted prescription lenses for over £400 last year. I wish I had purchased years ago! Perfect in every way and worth every pound.....Model of glasses Radar path lock.
John

[jezer]

I've had to wear glasses for most of my life since the early 60's. I'm very short sighted, with astigmatism in my left eye as well. Three years ago I started to use daily contact lenses for cycling only, using cheap cycling glasses on the bike. I still have to use x2 reading specs in the cafe to read the menu, but other than that I find the arrangement works well. I tried contact lenses in the 90's, but these days they have been much improved.

[PaulB]

I've tried various types of prescription sports glasses and they have all worked up to a point. I need graduated or vari-focal lenses and they can be very expensive to buy in sports glasses. I have some glasses that feature the prescription 'clip-in' frame but the 'clip-in' is not really large enough to accommodate vari-focals and cause distortion. Optilabs made me a pair of prescription cycling glasses with transition lenses that darken in sun light but they fit very close to my face and my eye lashes brush the lenses.

I finally started to use a pair of sunglasses that fit over my normal specs. These are not the clip on variety but they look like normal glasses complete with arms. Mine are made by UVEX but you can find other makes advertised in those little gadget catalogues that fall out of the Radio Times. They work really well and are not affected by prescription changes. The ones I have are quite "sporty" in appearance but not as 'cool' as the standard cycling shades.

The pupil distance, mentioned in the OP is treated as a state secret by opticians. When I asked my optician what my PD was she said she could not give me it. However, she is a friend of my sister and because I know her she wrote it on a scrap of paper and handed it to me under the desk!

[leftpoole]

[quote="PaulB"]I've tried various types of prescription sports glasses and they have all worked up to a point. I need graduated or vari-focal lenses and they can be very expensive to buy in sports glasses.

Hello,
Why do you need vari focals for cycling exactly? Why not single vision? It is not as though the reading part is required is it?
Best regards,
John

[RickH]

Hello,
Why do you need vari focals for cycling exactly? Why not single vision? It is not as though the reading part is required is it?
Best regards,
John

Reading route cards, maps (physical or electronic), etc. are regular enough uses to be worth it for me. Otherwise I'd have to swap glasses every time I wanted to do one of those.

I have Rudy Project Rydons with a clip in secondary frame with my prescription lenses in &, usually, clear to grey photochromic lenses that are OK for low light/night riding as well as bright sunshine.

Rick.

[PaulB]

Hello,
Why do you need vari focals for cycling exactly? Why not single vision? It is not as though the reading part is required is it?
Best regards,
John

Reading route cards, maps (physical or electronic), etc. are regular enough uses to be worth it for me. Otherwise I'd have to swap glasses every time I wanted to do one of those.

I have Rudy Project Rydons with a clip in secondary frame with my prescription lenses in &, usually, clear to grey photochromic lenses that are OK for low light/night riding as well as bright sunshine.

Rick.

As Rick says; reading maps, computer, some road signs or a menu in a cafe during a tea stop would require carrying two pairs of glasses. I do have a single vision clip-in for a pair of Briko shades but once you are used to vari-focals it is difficult to get used to single vision again.