Digital Gee

Until about a year ago, I wore contact lenses. Got a little tired of changing them every day (my eyes don't tolerate the extended wear) and wearing readers, so I got a couple of pair of trifocal eye glasses.

Now I'm coming back into cycling, and I don't like riding without sunglasses. So I'm wondering which is the smarter play: a pair of prescription sunglasses, or some kind of goggles that'll fit over my eye glasses, but preferably without making me look like an 80 year old retiree driving to a bingo parlor with comically huge lenses that fit over my glasses. I also want to fit a rear-view mirror on the frame of whatever I wear.

I can't be the only one with this problem. What solutions have worked for you guys?

zjrog

I'm planning to get some prescription goggles, like those from Eyeglasses Online - Buy Prescription Glasses & Eyeglass Frames | Zenni Optical. They have a low price, and prescription inserts. I don't wear multi focal lenses though.

Cychologist

I wear prescription Oakley's and like them. Stylish and Polaroid. I have them set for distance, instead of my normal bifocals. I only wear a mirror when riding alone, and I mount it on my helmet. I would think googles would be a pain, with sweat, etc.

SlowAndSlower

I went with Ray Ban RB 4124 frames which fit close to the face and warp around with good peripheral vision. They have Varilux progressive lens and no polarization.

One problem when I stop on cold mornings they tend to fog up. I use an old Chuck Harris like mirror on the glasses.

CliffordK

I have been using photo-grey lenses for years. Now: Progressive Photo Grey Glass Safety Lenses (not the cheapest available).

I like having one pair for everything. No changing glasses for the environment.

johnny99

I have prescription wrap-around sunglasses. I cannot imagine that goggles would be anywhere near as comfortable. Designer prescription sports sunglasses are expensive, but your local optician may be able to make something similar for you for much lower prices.

GlennR

I have Rudy's with a prescription insert. The lenses are interchangeable so you can ride in any lighting conditions.

I normally ride with clear photo chromatic which get plenty dark on bright days.

These are clear when not in the sun.

trackhub

Oakley prescrip sunglasses for me. Tried everything else, including clip ons, and whatnot. No go. Didn't fit right, always felt like they were going to come loose,
and just too darn fragile. So, I simply invested in the Oakleys. Love em. Lucky me, I do not need the bi-focal for riding or driving, so they are single vision.
Very nice design, with a good wrap-around. Not only are these great in the sun, but they also block the wind.

How much to I love 'em? I bought a second pair with clear lenses, for night riding, which I do a lot of. So, I would invest in prescrip sunglasses. life is just too short
for a lot of things, and bad sunglasses are one of those things.

And no, you do not want to look like an old guy heading for the beach, or bingo parlor.

qcpmsame 

DG,
Another vote to get the prescription riding glasses, your choice of tints, or even photo-chromatic, as said above. This is my next major purchase, saving up so its a cash deal, or Paypal if its on-line. I have some Rx sunglasses, the same frames as my current eyeglasses, got the free when I had the last Rx filled. The wraparound will suit me better, from past experience with Bolle sunglasses before I had to go Rx. I wish I had gone ahead and gotten the wrap around type for the winter riding, they help with eyes tearing and the resulting runny nose from the lacrimal-nasal duct overflow.

Bill

Jimbosays

I have a number of 'cheap' prescription glasses from Zenni Optical . . . I won't say they are the finest optical products I've ever owned - But it is sure is easier not to worry as much about $20-40 pair of glasses tossed into my bike bag.

In addition to regular tinted lenses (deep gray with a mirror finish is my fav for bright FLA sunny days) . . . My other 'just as important' lenses are yellow tints used on overcast days and for sunrise/sunset/night riding.

The yellow lenses work so well at 'brightening' everything up that I often have to remember to turn on my bike lights at dusk . . . I forget that everyone else is not 'seeing' as well as I am at that moment!

texbiker

For 30+ years I wore sunglasses over my regular glasses. A month ago I decided to buy prescription sunglasses for biking. What a great decision. No longer do I try to keep the old sunglasses in place and the added weight of two pair. I bought Hilco Leader Circuit Sunglasses from Sporteyes.com--Prescription Sports Goggles and Sunglasses A Sight for Sport Eyes. I got Transition lenses with white frames. They weren't cheap but I really like them. Reminds me of George Hincapie.

TGT1

I've been using these for 45 years for work in hazardous areas, mountaineering and climbing and now cycling.

AOSafety Prescription Safety Eyewear

low cost as far as prescription lenses go and lots of lens options.

The cable temples are comfortable under helmet straps and aren't going to come off even in a fall/crash.

The wire sideshields ventilate really well and only present a fogging problem on really foggy mornings, and then only when stopped.

Phloom

I use these Cocoons MS Mini Slim (Unisex) - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available They work very well. Every morning, half my commute is directly into the rising sun.

Up North

Gotta think goggles will fog up. I held off on the RX sunglasses until this year. Purchased Oakley RX Progressive 00red Iridiums, should have done it 2 yrs ago! I hate the thought of scratching them at $700.00 but no problems reading Garmin and not worrying about how you would fix things without regular glasses on a ride.

StanSeven

Right. Goggles or glasses that fit over regular glasses do fog up. They are especially bad with humidity and cold.

curlyque

I bought these from Zenni with photochromic single vision for $50

Grey Plastic Half-Rim Frame #7444 | Zenni Optical Eyeglasses

They stick to my face biking jogging, hiking... sweaty or not

I wouldn't want to bang them around much though

I'm a Zenni collector too :-)

Jim from Boston

I’m not a fashion maven, and I’ll take a contrarian position. I wear (necessary) prescription eyeglasses, and I wear left and right Take-a-Look eyeglass-mounted rearview mirrors. Frankly I’m fine without sunglasses, and on sunny days I might wear a billed baseball cap under my helmet to shade my eyes. I did once suffer a corneal abrasion apparently from riding, and for a while afterwards I did wear some clear plastic safety goggles for wider eye protection, but found that unnecessary since the abrasion was such a rare event.

Indeed fogging is a serious problem for winter cycling but my system with safety goggles with rigid earpieces has essentially eliminated that problem, and unlike goggles with elastic headbands, like ski goggles, still allow me to use my eyeglass mounted Take-a-Look mirrors, which IMO are in the most effective position for rearward viewing, FWIW.

OldTryGuy

Been wearing glasses for 55 years so I opted for Progressive Transition for driving/biking/living life. Convenient and they are better than in the past.

Jim from Boston

Same here, and I just recently had my eyes checked, to order a pair. I'm looking forward to see how they work for cycling. Otherwise I'll just use my current pair for distance.

Currently I'm just waiting for one of my fashion consultants to go with me to pick out the frames, because I'm so nearsighted, and as noted above,

chinkroadrunner

Same issues for me. My solution was to get contacts again and wear them only when I ride.

sqgator

Rudy Project Argon with prescription insert, external Zeiss lenses are transitional, very comfortable. Also using Giro Air Attack Shield helmet and wearing prescription glasses, not as comfortable.

goaliedad30

I have two pair of progressive sunglasses -- dark Oakleys for bright sunlight, and bronze Rudy Projects for more overcast days.
I LOVE that I can see perfectly while riding.

ct-vt-trekker

I think glasses would be much more comfortable than goggles.

My wife and I both have Rudy Project Ekynox SX with prescription lenses. I got the transitions lenses which work great and get plenty dark even in bright sun. We bought them from Sports optical in Denver Sports Optical ::: Exclusive 'Direct Lens Technology' for Prescription Sunglasses
Even though we live across the country everything was done online and via phone. My wife has a very strong prescription,the local opticians couldn't make lenses for these types of glasses. These were not cheap but we're both very happy customers.

jeromephone

I have the prescription sunglasses and would not do anything else. I have the cable temples and would recommend them as they allow keep the glasses from slipping around when you sweat. They also help when you are using equipment that reguires hearing protection as the earmuff type hearing protection fits over. Mine are polarized as I originally got them for fishing but at any rate well worth the money .

Retro Grouch 

Depends, at least in part, on your prescription. I wear bifocals but my distance prescription isn't much. Consequently I was able to get some wrap around sunglasses that work for me. The ladies at the eye doctors told me that they make me look very cool. Mrs. Grouch, after hearing the price, said they definitely keep me from looking like I'm cheap.

FWIW, I once tried using sunglasses that didn't have my near vision correction. Hated them! I didn't think I would need reading glasses outdoors, but there were so many times I'd need to look at a map or car gauges or my cell phone etc that they drove my crazy.