# Contact wearers: Prescription sunglasses or contacts w/ regular sunglasses?



## zandr (Sep 19, 2009)

Hi folks, I guess this is the right forum for this question...? If not I apologize in advance.

I wear prescription glasses and even though I do have Transitions lenses, I find them to be less than ideal for cycling. The shape of my frame is too small to effectively block wind and does not cover my periphery. I'd like to get a pair of sunglasses but before I commit to spending money on anything I thought I'd ask for input from those who wear contacts. Years and years ago I tried contacts for a few days and couldn't get acclimated to them .. but I was also 16-17 and impatient.  Since I'm 28 now I figured I might be big boy enough to give them a fair shake and thought it might make my life a little easier. (That is if I can even use them with my prescription. I don't even know what it is off-hand, I'd have to call my optometrist.)

If you do wear contacts and use standard sunglasses, do you find that the contacts dry out while riding? Does riding present problems with wearing contacts? Or, is it one of those things where once you get used to them day-to-day then riding isn't any different?

Should I just get prescription sunglasses and give up the whole contact idea? I'm generally okay with glasses and think I look better with them but lately I have also have been thinking, "it sure would be nice not to wear these."

Any input appreciated. Thanks!


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## BentChainring (Jun 23, 2005)

Contacts + Sunglasses for me.

1 Pair of Contacts = ~$5
1 Pair of Riding Glasses = ~$45 (Steep and Cheap)

versus

1 Pair of Perscription Sunglasses (my only pair) = $350


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## zandr (Sep 19, 2009)

BentChainring said:


> Contacts + Sunglasses for me.
> 
> 1 Pair of Contacts = ~$5
> 1 Pair of Riding Glasses = ~$45 (Steep and Cheap)
> ...


Thanks for the numbers, that's very helpful! I had a feeling the economics would break down on that side. I have been looking at some of the prescription sunglasses and they are all insanely expensive. I also like the idea of being able to get multiple pairs of sunglasses so I could have one for MTB that I don't mind getting beaten up, one for road, one for in the car, etc..

When I think about that it is kind of amazing how restricted I have been for the last 15 years! :mad2:

Do you find riding presents more of a challenge than wearing the contacts in "normal" life?


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## BentChainring (Jun 23, 2005)

abenedict said:


> Do you find riding presents more of a challenge than wearing the contacts in "normal" life?


Not at all.

Soft lenses, no astigmatism.


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## zandr (Sep 19, 2009)

BentChainring said:


> Not at all.
> 
> Soft lenses, no astigmatism.


Excellent! Question answered. Thanks BentChainring!

I don't know what my prescription is but as far as I understand it is just plain old nearsightedness. So, I should be okay for contacts I would hope.  

Now if I can only stand to wait until April when my vision insurance will cover the exam ..


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## Dr. Clutch (Jul 9, 2008)

I am an optometrist and have access to all of the best/newest contact lenses. I tried them all and could not find lenses that would not eventually dry out. The Air Optix Aqua lenses by Ciba and the Biofinity lenses from Coopervision are probably the best lenses currently on the market. If you combine one of these lenses with a good solution like Optifree replenish, Complete or Clear Care, you'll be doing as well as you can with contacts.

I actually would recommend spending the cash and getting a good pair of prescription sunglasses. On long rides, you will not be fighting your contacts. 

I really like the racing red lens from Rudy Project. It works well in almost all light conditions.

Try to find a practice that carries Rudy Project (you don't have to get Rudy's). The opticians at a Rudy Project practice are usually educated about cycling products by the Rudy Project rep.


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## PRB (Jun 15, 2002)

Prescription sunglasses for me. I ordered a pair from Zenni Optical and couldn't be happier both with the price and the glasses. A few of my friends have ordered from them as well. Google them, you'll find lots of satisfied customers out there....and no, I don't work for them.


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

I was going to recommend looking into Rudy Project since they have a bunch of sunglasses that you can add a prescription to.
www.e-rudy.com


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

Contacts + sunglasses.

I wear gas permeable lenses. And I will warn you it hurts like a mofo when I get dirt in my eye. Most of the time when I'm riding my eye will water up enough to flush out whatever it was. Hurts, though.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

contacts + regular sunglasses

I have an astigmatism, but that really doesn't mean a whole lot now-a-days. I'm more limited with contact selection, but still fine.

I wear soft (frequency 55 toric) lenses that are meant to last 1 month. Honestly, I just leave them in my eye 3 months, let my eye breath overnight, and put in the next set for the next 3 months.

If they are bothering me for some reason (once a month, maybe), I will just remove them for the night and put them back in the morning.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

Contacts and sunglasses. If you have the right sunglasses, your eyes shouldn't dry out. The only time I had a problem was on a descent. Then my eyes watered. I just purchased some Oakley Flak Jackets and they really helped with that issue. 

You'll need more than a few days to get used to your contacts. Give them a week or two and you won't know they're there most of the time. 
I use Acuvue Oasis. They have been the best I have used.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I wear daily disposable Acuvue contacts and sun-glasses. I picked out some Bolle sun glasses that wrap around the temples and this completely cuts down the turbulence that leads to watery eyes on descents. I wear the contacts for 3-8 hours at a time and then throw them away. They are only a buck or so a go. 

I did had an pair of prescription sunglasses (cheap from Costco). They're at the bottom of a lake after my daughter jumped off a diving board onto my head while I was wearing them! They didn't work well cycling though - me eyes would water up badly at speed.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

What brand/model would you recommend, sunglasses, for contact wearers? I'm looking for something in the $50 to $75 range.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Contacts + Sunglasses.

I wore for sometime the Adidas Evil Eye with the prescription insert but I dislike it. For example, let's say it is sunny when you leave for the ride and when you are 40km from home it gets cloudy and dark or starts raining.... then you can't remove the sunglasses as your prescription lenses are attached to them.... bugger.

So now it is only Contacts for sports.


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## Guest (Nov 3, 2009)

+1 Contacts/Sunglasses. I was the same way - I had contact lenses in junior high and high school and took terrible care of them. When I tore a pair in college, I gave up on them, assuming that I just didn't have it in me to take good care of them. I stuck with glasses and Rx sunglasses until I was 30. I wouldn't go back for anything. I can't believe I went all those years without lenses. I live near the mountains, and I sweat profusely, so I love being able to take my sunglasses off when climbing.


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## Becky (Jun 15, 2004)

Contacts and non-prescription sunglasses. I carry re-wetting drops with me just in case.

For me, the combination of Acuvue Oasys lenses and Clear Care solution works great, and allows me to comfortably wear contacts despite my dry, sensitive eyes.


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

I rode for years with contacts and regular sunglasses. Decided to try Rx Sunglasses and never regretted the change or the cost.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

LASIK, if you can afford it - and keep in mind your HSA / MSA might cover it.

Short of that, I went with rx sunglasses. Contacts are just too prone to drying out and causing problems and there you are at the side of the road, sweaty, sticking dirty fingers in your eyes.


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## Bill70J (Sep 23, 2004)

*Contacts + Sunglasses*

J & J Acuvue soft contact lenses + no-name sunglasses has worked fine for me for many years. No dry-eye or pain whatsoever. But generally I wear the contacts only for cycling. Prescription eyeglasses at all other times.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Another vote here for contacts + regular eyewear.

This is most versatile for me, because I don't need prescription eyewear for every sport - cycling, swimming, skiing, etc. Plus, if it starts to rain you don't have to deal with either crummy vision or continual wiping. You just take off the eyewear and let your eyelashes do their job.

Peripheral vision is also much better with contacts - I'm continually sneaking glances behind me from the corner of my eye while riding. When I'm wearing prescription glasses I have to turn my head more. Not a big deal, but annoying.

I personally don't have a problem with the contacts drying out when I'm out-of-doors. My eyes only dry out when I'm inside. Don't know why. And even with my old extended wear I couldn't sleep with them in.

As for getting used to them, honestly I never had a problem. Getting to a good Optometrist who has a wide variety for you to try so that you get the right size is very important. The wrong size (curvature) on your eye makes using contacts a misery, and even contacts that are almost-but-not-quite aren't worth the discomfort.



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## Sylint (Jul 27, 2009)

I've had contacts the last 10 years, and through numerous types of sports, never really bothered me in any.

I have a pair of Oakley Flak Jackets that I've started using for my rides, do a great job of blocking wind for me.


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## Ironbutt (Nov 30, 2001)

I wear rigid gas permeable contacts and regular sunglasses. I have found that getting grit in my eyes does hurt but close fitting sunglasses that wrap around the eye socket seem to keep the grit out. I also carry wetting drops in case something gets in my eye or they dry out from the wind.


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## longhorn31 (Jan 6, 2005)

Dr. Clutch said:


> I am an optometrist and have access to all of the best/newest contact lenses. I tried them all and could not find lenses that would not eventually dry out. The Air Optix Aqua lenses by Ciba and the Biofinity lenses from Coopervision are probably the best lenses currently on the market. If you combine one of these lenses with a good solution like Optifree replenish, Complete or Clear Care, you'll be doing as well as you can with contacts.
> 
> I actually would recommend spending the cash and getting a good pair of prescription sunglasses. On long rides, you will not be fighting your contacts.
> 
> ...


I agree with Dr Clutch - I've used the Biofinity and with Optifree Replenish and that was the best combination for me. I have astigmatism and am about -7.75 in both eyes. However, while riding with good sunglasses (Wiley X) my contacts still dried out. I switched to wearing regular prescription glasses for non-cycling and Rudy Project Exceptions (with photochromatic lenses) for cycling. I miss the peripheral vision of the contacts, but this combination works pretty well. However, it is kind of expensive. Also, I had some trouble with my optomitrist/optician so I went to the Rudy website and found one that worked out really well. The Optician is a motorcyclist, so he understood. We had to adjust the first set of lenses (bifocals) because I when I ride in the drops I look through the extreme top of the lenses. 

As far as the peripheral vision goes, I compensate by either wearing a Take a Look mirror on my glasses or a bar end mirror.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

Contacts plus regular Rudy sunglasses. I have had no problems with dryness. My prescription is very strong. Any eyeglasses that have my prescription, clear or dark, are much heavier than regular sunglasses and tend to slip when I am riding. Thus, contacts plus regular sunglasses (or clear lenses when it is dark) are a better solution for me.


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## tazdag (Apr 9, 2002)

*25+ years of riding w/ contacts*

I have had very few problems. I seem to get stuff in my contact MUCH more frequently when not on the bike, I supposed becuase I always have eye protection on (clear or tinted) when riding. I'm not sure I have even gotten any dirt inthem when mtn biking. Dryness is rarely as issue for me when riding as well. I can't remember the name of the contacts I use, but they're soft, come out every night, and get changed every other month. I can take my sunglasses off when I am off the bike and still see, something that would be very difficult with prescription lenses.


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## Kappaccino (Jun 21, 2009)

Great thread guys. 
I'm also nearsighted and looking to get a pair of contacts.
I thought donning my pair of Radars was fine until I rode home with my
prescription glasses. It'll probably give me a little more confidence on
descents too.


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## M-theory (Jul 16, 2009)

I tried contact lenses many years ago but thought it was too much trouble. All that fussing around with the eyeballs seemed dangerous before and after a ride. Now I wear prescription oakleys...no hassles.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I'm far sighted. I use contacts just so I wouldn't have to deal with prescription glasses.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

*Same here ...*



Ironbutt said:


> I wear rigid gas permeable contacts and regular sunglasses. I have found that getting grit in my eyes does hurt but *close fitting sunglasses* that wrap around the eye socket seem to keep the grit out. I also carry wetting drops in case something gets in my eye or they dry out from the wind.


My RGP contacts have always been sensitive to dust, pollen, and wind ... and I've been wearing RGP for nearly 40 years. I am so near-sighted, only RGP are capable of improving my vision to 20/25, or so..

Close fitting, wrap-around sunglasses are essential, to keep wind & dust out. 

I've had great success with so-called "shooting glasses", they come in various tints, and are very good at shielding eyes. Big bonus -- good quality polycarbonate lenses & frames are surprisingly inexpensive.

Eg, Remington-brand shooting glasses at Amazon for under $10 (!).


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

I wear Accuvue Oasis contacts and Smith sunglasses. Prescription sunglasses don't give me the peripheral vision on the bike like contacts do. Also in a crash when they go flying if you're blind like me you end up on the side of the road not knowing where the hell they went because you can't see. Just my 2 cents.


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## Becky (Jun 15, 2004)

Kappaccino said:


> It'll probably give me a little more confidence on
> descents too.


I had this exact experience. I've always been a chicken on descents, particularly on the mountain bike. Being able to clearly see distant objects has made a big difference and improved both my skills and my confidence.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

M-theory said:


> I tried contact lenses many years ago but thought it was too much trouble. All that fussing around with the eyeballs seemed dangerous before and after a ride. Now I wear prescription oakleys...no hassles.


I first tried contacts almost twenty years ago and gave up on them after a year. I tried them again about ten years ago and for me, the "fussing" quickly turned into two seconds to put them in and five seconds to take them out and store them (with nary a hint of danger). 

I have had great luck with Ciba's Night & Day contacts. Although they're approved to be worn continuously for 30 days, I generally take mine out before I sleep. I used to work at a computer for very long uninterrupted stretches and with other contacts my eye would get dry/red and the lens would be noticeably dry. After I switched to my current lens, that problem stopped. I almost always wear sunglasses or clear glasses while riding. Ive also never had a problem with this lens at altitude and extreme cold, as I did with others (which may have been a result of the dry air in those conditions).


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## smcnees (Aug 5, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> LASIK, if you can afford it - and keep in mind your HSA / MSA might cover it.


+1,000,000.000 best money I ever spent :thumbsup:


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## tazdag (Apr 9, 2002)

I've known only a few people that have had LASIK done. They loved it, no questions, but now 5 or so years later I see them wearing glasses again....


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

I wear contacts and regular riding glasses on the bike and whenever I'm not riding I have prescription glasses. It's just so much cheaper that way. Ive tried transition lenses and I have to say that I absolutely hate them.


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## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

I've been using contacts plus sunglasses. I did find out that switching from eyeglasses to contacts required me to go to a polarized lens on my sunglasses. So I'm using Oakley Half-jackets XLJ's. Zero problems. Been using this combo for 3 years now.


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## Kappaccino (Jun 21, 2009)

I went to see the optometrist to get fitted for contact lenses.
I'm currently wearing Acuvue Oasys for astigmatism.
The comfort people mention between regular lenses and the toric 
is clear to me now. The lenses for astigmatism is a bit thicker so 
that's going to take some getting used to. 

@ OP
Get the contact lenses w/ shades combo mang!
I already wrecked a pair of Oakley Radar lenses after a crash 
and those things aren't cheap. The prescription type is 3x 
more expensive. 
As an added plus, you can wear your new contacts (if you do decide)
under some fashion shades when you're out and about town. 
I know my eyes are very sensitive to sunlight since I spend
too much time staring at a monitor in low light.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> I did find out that switching from eyeglasses to contacts required me to go to a polarized lens on my sunglasses


What were the requirements? 

My first pair of riding glasses were Oakley Polarized. I nearly killed myself because of them. 
For me polarized makes new/darker pavement look wet and hard to distinguish. 
I now use non-polarized and can see much better.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

Creakyknees said:


> LASIK, if you can afford it - and keep in mind your HSA / MSA might cover it.


It ain't risk free. 

My brother in law had LASIK, it didn't go so well, and it made him legally blind. 

My other brother in law had LASIK from the top laser-eye doctor in town and the first time it made his vision worse, so he had to have a do-over; the second time it worked right and now he's got great vision.

When it works, it's great; and most of the time it does work great; but folks thinking about getting it should understand that it is surgery and it can go wrong and you can end up with much worse vision than you started out with.

Me: prescription Rudys. They cost me $450, but that was five years ago and I'm still wearing the glasses (my prescription is very stable), so the cost per year isn't so bad.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

I hear your night vision is not very good with LASIK. Lights and stuff looked starry.


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## zandr (Sep 19, 2009)

Thanks for the input everyone! At my next appointment with my optometrist I will be getting contacts. Unfortunately that's not until April 2010 (one check-up a year per vision insurance). Even if I don't like them for riding I can still buy prescription sunglasses. I have been thinking a lot lately in "normal life" that contacts would be so much easier.

LASIK is out for me... I know it's safe and the risk is very low, but there is still a risk and I don't want to be the one guy out of however many that ends up blind. If my glasses or contacts get screwed up I can remove them; if LASIK gets screwed up I might never see again. Just not worth it for me IMHO.


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## slamy (Mar 15, 2004)

I have been wearing contacts for over 25 years. My parents always felt bad for me and how bad my vision was, so they told me that they would pay for Lasik if I wanted it. I went to check it out about 8 years ago, like someone said, the risk while small is still there. I have 0 problems with my contacts. In fact most contacts have uv protection built into them, so that is a benefit. Lets face it, between brushing my teeth and washing up before bed, the 5 seconds it takes to take out my lenses is no big burden. When I ride, it is just usually just me and my Acuvue 2 lenses. I have sunglasses but I only wear them part of the time, I can't stand to wear any type of glasses when I ride, so I usually start the ride and soon throw them in the back pocket. I've never had any real issues, my eyes don't get dry, and I look at my lenses like this: Ok I can't open my eyes underwater and I have to get my glasses off the nightstand when I wake up before I put my lenses in. Is risking Lasik worth having to do those two things? and face it, Lasik will only get better in the future: I can wait. Get contacts .. no brainer.


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## ActionJackson82 (Sep 22, 2009)

*Prescriptions ++*

I got some prescription Rudy's from Sport Rx a few years ago and have not had one problem with them. A little expensive initially, but definitely worth it...plus, who wants to stop a ride to put eye drops in??


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