This part of your Body might be enduring the Most Wear and Tear from Bicycling..
 

Its your Eyes.
Tonight I am using my smartphone for the first time without glasses. One optician thought I had cataracts. Another thought I I need high power glasses....he also said the best I could do was 20/30.
So I went to an Eye Surgeon.
Turns out I had serious Dry Eye and after 3 days of using Restasis, an expensive eyedrop, and goggles I am typing on my phone without glasses for the first time in two years. .
I will wear goggles from now on, or something equal
Considering that for many years I went without eye protection, I feel really unwise.
Almost every few rides, I remember being forced to whiz by a tree branch at high speed, never thinking that I could be blinded by one. Not to mention pebbles skipping up off the road.
I hope someone learns from my mistake.. The Wind in your face feels nice, but losing your eyesight is not worth it.

I would ride without a helmet before I would ride without eye protection. I get hit with bugs all the time during the warmer months. I can't believe there aren't more pro cyclists wearing eye patches. I suppose when you are inside the peloton you're protected from bug strikes but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Haven't been able to use smartphone without reading glasses for a while, but I don't think that has anything to do with not using sunglasses. It's old age, lots of reading, and lenses that are less pliable than they used to be.

I virtually always wear sunglasses on weekend rides for the UV protection, but almost never wore them commuting, since that was always done early mornings and late evenings when light and UV was low. It's on a bike path without branches or virtually any other traffic, so I didn't regard it as dangerous.

I'm not clear on what happened to your eyes ... what is Dry Eyes, and how does it relate to a failure to use sunglasses?

Been wearing glasses for 60+ years so goggles not needed.

No self-blame! Just don't do it. I've always ridden with eye protection. I've had dry eyes for years. Now that I'm not a kid anymore, I no longer have my coveted 20-20 vision. So I have an optometrist and dry eyes. He said it's age and recommended Refresh Optive, a temporary fix, which is very cheap and does not contain preservatives.

More about Dry Eyes: https://www.consumerreports.org/visi...how-to-handle/.

I hope someone benefits from this. At our age of 50 - 100 or whatever going on 20, please just don't see an optician for an eye checkup.
I think what hurts is that many of us think "20" and perhaps are metabolically and physiologically are 20, but some parts of our body don't cooperate, like our eyes
Go to an Ophthalmologist or seasoned Cataract Surgeon who will do a detailed eye examination, because there's a lot of things like Glaucoma, Dry Eye and Retina issues that a regular optician does not have the tools experience.

It was my fault also, because I'm frugal. You can't expect a Chain Store optician, no matter how good they are, who sees a high volume of patients and who does not have good equipment to do a complete exam. (Wells yes, one chain store optician did point me in the correct direction, but two others didn't know what was going on.)
You need to have your eyes dilated and have your eyes scanned with advance imaging technology.

I have always worn eye protection when riding and normally do even on short test rides. I recently got a pair of glasses with nearly clear lens to wear on cloudy days. Last week on an off road trail ride I forgot my glasses and I felt naked the whole ride.

I wear prescription glasses so no choice to go without but even if I didn't need them, I would wear them. Bugs, dust, debris, etc. plus just the constant flow of dry air is fatiguing. Beyond the protection aspect, I also like the filtered effects of good quality sunglasses. Way better contrast, deeper colors, etc.

Riding with a mask and glasses at slow speed makes for foggy lenses. So lately during parts of some rides, I ride without my glasses on but I know it is no good. I'll likely catch a bug or like last time, a bee in the eye, and then go back to zero tolerance.

AND, I haven't been keeping up---Have they come up with cycling sports glasses that don't fog up when your masked up?

N95 masks are pretty good if you get the nose piece crimped just right. Masks w/o the metal piece are pretty useless - Ok for others, but not so good for you. I don't wear a mask when I ride outdoors anyway, though I have an N95 in my jersey pocket and a bandanna around my neck. The bandanna is for casual chats at a distance, the N95 is for markets. There's no risk as long as you stay 20' away from other folks.

"An optometrist is an eye doctor that can examine, diagnose, and treat your eyes. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who can perform medical and surgical interventions for eye conditions. An optician is a professional who can help fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision-correcting devices." - just in case anyone was curious.

:)

I almost always wear eye protection, bifocal safety glasses in both sunglass and clear versions. The +1.5 reading lens insert helps me see my phone and bike computer, but isn't large enough to be a distraction while riding. The only time I don't wear the safety glasses is when the lenses fog up in weird weather -- humidity and temperature. Usually I wear 'em in rain, since steady rain tends to prevent fogging.

Actually, I believe my eyes get a good, healthy workout during my rides, because of all the darting around focusing on various things at various distances. Much better than just looking straight ahead in a daze, not to mention gazing at a screen.

P.S. I also always wear eye protection, sun glasses on the sunny days and some yellow lens glasses on cloudy days/night riding.

I hate bugs also, so I always ride with eye protection. For most of my cycling life (last 10-12 years), I have used Dual, https://dualeyewear.com/ , glasses. I have 2 sets of lenses, clear and dark. Both with bifocals. They are a great product. I tried a cycling specific sunglass, with bifocals and transitions, thinking it would eliminate changing the lenses when it got dark. I was disappointed with the lack of darkening when the sun was out, so took them back and stayed with my Dual. Now, my eye Dr. says my Lasik has apparently worn out and I need prescription glasses. I'm checking out Sportrx glasses. They suggest an Oakley product that does the same thing my Dual does, but with prescription lenses. https://www.sportrx.com/oakley-flak-2-0-xl.html They only offer progressive lenses I believe, so waiting for a visit to my Dr. before deciding.

+1
I have an Optometrist, an Opthalmologist, and a Retina Specialist working diligently to keep my eyes working.
I always wear standard safety glasses with cheaters pretty much all the time working or riding. Dark and clear. They're economical and I consider them consumables. They can last for months and months as long as you take reasonable care of them.

Speaking of eyes, I always wear sunglasses while riding but not while playing golf. As a contact lens wearer it’s a must. Otherwise junk gets in my eyes and it’s difficult to clean a lens out on the road. It’s just a preference. My cataracts are gradually getting worse. I’m still 4-5 years away from cataract surgery. I wear contact lens for being near sighted so I’m looking forward to getting my vision corrected with the cataract surgery. Am I the only one trying to encourage the doctor to do the surgery sooner than later????

An optimist I am not.

Yes I absolutely advise riding with glasses of some sort. Too many bugs and stuff thrown up by passing cars to risk your eye sight. Pretty much need dark glasses in the summer anyway.

The best I have found for riding is blue block polaroid sun glasses.

Eyewear, always during MTB, always winter riding, most of the time on the open road. Mask? Never.

Concur. Also, if you have a condition in a particular part of the eye, note that many ophthalmologists now specialize as either vitreo-retinologists or ocular surface / lens / cornea specialist.