phtomita

Today I got rain coming back home and is pretty dark 6:30 PM around here.
If I get a car coming, I can't see pretty much anything ahead of me with my glasses wet and a bit fog on inside.

Is there any good product to clean/apply on the glasses to improve visibility in these conditions?
I am thinking on cleaning and apply/rub those sheets for the car windshield that helps a lot on the car.

What you use on your glasses?
Thank you in advance for any suggestion/advice.

Kedosto

Rain-X. First, clean your glasses using a solution of vinegar and water. Don’t use ammonia based glass cleaner. Then apply the Rain-X according to the instructions. Be sure to polish the lenses well with a clean cloth. If you don’t polish well, you’ll get hazing and halos. I’m not sure why Rain-X is not advised for polycarbonate lenses because I’ve used it myself on safety glasses, motorcycle windshields, and helmet visors without any ill effects. When applied properly and polished well, Rain-X is amazingly effective.


-Kedosto

downtube42

I'm trying out monovision contact lenses to avoid that very problem. I'm off the bike now for unrelated reasons, but thus far I think it's going to work.

SalsaShark

Are these prescription lenses? If not, i would simply ride without the glasses in those conditions. The light glare from raindrops at on the lenses at night, fogging, and overall decreased visibility probably make it safer to ride without the lenses.
If these are prescription, I have no suggestions other than maybe contact lenses.

phtomita

Yes, mine are prescription glasses. I can see all blurry and at least if there is something big in the path without glasses.
There is a downhill path at the side of the freeway with cars coming with lights on (even when weather is dry is sometimes a bit challenging to see).
Today, I couldn't see much because of rain, so actually was trying to see from above my lens .

rseeker

I've only been in your situation once and it wasn't good. I decided next time I'll just take my glasses off. They're prescription but only moderately strong, for distance vision only, and they were worse than useless with water on them.

I have clear safety glasses now too, maybe I'll go the Rain-X route on those like Kedesto recommended and just wear those.

My real worry though is whether cars can see me in rainy dark conditions. If their windshield wipers are at all streaky ...

GUMK

I also wear prescription glasses, and the best thing that ever happened to me was getting a helmet with a detachable visor.

When those rain + headlights situations happen, I now just run my gloves over the visor, it gets rid of the water and it’s sorted the issue each time.

My major issue was having distorted vision due to the water drops on my glasses and lights in my eyes made it more difficult, the visor solves that, and it’s easier to run my glove over the visor than it was my glasses.

In addition, I run two lights at the front, one is pointed slightly down, so I can see the ground in front. You may need to slow down a bit, but you can navigate.

bpcyclist

This happened to me on my early morning, very dark, ride the other day. Glasses got completely fogged up in some serious fog (common this time of year). Had to stop and put them in my pocket and just ride naked sans glasses for 48 more miles. It was fine, but with that fog on the lenses, super dangerous. I will have to try that RainX solution. Maybe that will help.

Jim from Boston

Improving visibility on rain and dark I have previously posted. No need to further comment on good lighting.

BobbyG

For many years now, I've been cleaning my glasses with hand-soap and warm water. It definitely helps with fogging, although at stoplights I need to breath with a pronounced overbite to help direct the breath away from the glasses. A dozen or so years back I tried a kid's toy snorkle from the dollar store to conduct my breath back over my shoulder. IT worked, but was a disgusting,uncomfortable mess at the end of the commute.

As far as rain, I can still see distance well enough over the top of my glasses to do that. My newest rain cape came with a clear visor on the hood, but it was wrinkly and caused more fog on my glasses, so I fold it back.

Darth Lefty 

Contacts? Lasik?

noglider 

I'm dealing with this. I'm in the rain at night often, especially this month. My only saving grace is that my glasses prescription is mild, and I can live without my glasses when the rain is a big problem. But I use a rearview mirror attached to my glasses, so when I take them off, I end up mirrorless. I might try Rain-X. First, I'm going to try putting a soap film on my glasses. I'll apply soap and buff it off without water. I've heard that can work.

noisebeam

I have same issue. Can't see without glasses, can't see with them in the rain.
A large helmet visor, makes no difference in heavy rain.
I find I can navigate better without the glasses as shapes are not blocked/distorted.
Turns out one doesn't have to see that well to cycle

pdlamb

But in light rain, a visor or the brim on a cap can keep light rain off the lenses!

noisebeam

Not in my experience. Even external fog results in water drops all over lenses.
When moving forward drops come from the front, not the top.

pdlamb

IME, just angling my head down, and looking through the tops of my glasses, will keep fog off my glasses for the better part of a 10 mile commute. In light rain, I can usually make 6-7 miles before I need to wipe the glasses with a billed cycling cap.

We'll have to agree to disagree on visors and brims.

Re: wiping glasses, it's worth while making sure wet weather gloves have something like an absorbent thumb back. Even when wet, they'll get enough water off my lenses that I can see better.

noglider 

I've seen some people wearing a giant brim attached (it seems) by elastic, and it goes all around the helmet. That seems like a great thing to try. Where can I get one? Or what should my search terms be?

pdlamb

Tom, I think you're looking for Da Brim:
https://www.adventurecycling.org/cyc...-helmet-visor/

The two people I've seen using them seem to ride a bit slower than I do. I suspect keeping the wind down is one reason they both liked it so much.

liampboyle

Da Brim you say? I like the looks of the classic. I may have to get one.

2_i 

+N on a visor being far more effective than any treatment or device for glasses/goggles. Da Brim is too extreme for just rain, but presumably good for sun in Africa or south. Rain can be taken care of with the Taiga Helmet Cover or Salamander Beak Visor.

noglider 

Thanks, @2_i. Those are nice. I still haven't found the one whose brim is of the same width all around the helmet. But one of those two might be nice.

tomtomtom123

I haven't had problems with fogging eyeglasses when outside. It's usually only happens when i walk indoors from a cold exterior. Condensation only occurs when the cold glass encounters warm and moist air, like from your breath when you exhale. when I'm in motion, the exhaled breath doesn't reach my eyeglasses. When I'm at a standstill, the glasses might fog from the breath for 2 seconds, but it immediately clears up. However, I don't normally have freezing temperatures here.

When it's near freezing, I wear ski/mtb googles over-the-glasses (otg) to protect my eyes from drying out. The goggles do fog up on the inside when I'm at a standstill from skin sweat, but clears up after 5 seconds when I'm in motion again, because it's got some vents on the top and bottom, with a double layer polycarbonate lens. If it rains, lots of drops tend to stick to the plastic lens, and I simply wipe it with my gloves.

I do use a visor on my helmet. It does reduce the amount of water that hits my eyeglasses when it rains (when I'm not wearing goggles over them). But even if my eyeglasses are wet, it doesn't fog up. The lens does have some anti-scratch-UV-glare coating. I don't know if this has any effect. I also wash my glasses daily with soap. I don't know if this affects anything either.

I don't know if I'd want to apply other chemicals like Rain-X to my glasses, as I don't know if it would cause problems if it were to get into the eyes.

However, if I wear a balaclava, I do have problems with fogging on my glasses, due to the breath being directed upwards. I bought another balaclava with holes around the mouth and nose, and it helps to reduce the fogging a little bit.

Jim from Boston

I have previously posted (link) pertinent comments on this current thread. See also:

billyO13

The problem with Rain-X is that it leaves a film on the lens.