Prescription Cycling glasses?

[Pugslyyy]

So I've been talking about this for a while, time to finally get in gear and make it happen.

I need some decent cycling glasses, but they have to be prescription since I don't wear contacts and can't see 3 feet in front of my face without some type of corrective lens.

My preference is glasses WITHOUT some sort of clip-in prescription insert, it should be the main lens that is prescription ground.

SO, what recommendations does anyone have for

1. What eyewear, and

2. Where I should buy it?

Thanks!

Jon

[JayC]

You can get Rudy Projects done up with prescription lenses. In fact, all the Rudy Project dealers in Raleigh are eye doctors for the most part.

[Zonda]

I didn't think I would want a prescription insert either when I started looking last year. However, after seeing that prescription sunglasses would cost me $400-500, I opted for sunglasses with the insert.

I have Bolle Vigilante's (http://www.sunglassesgiant.com/bollevigilante.html)WITH a prescription insert and have been happy with them. I can replace the prescription insert for $45 rather than spending $400 for new lenses. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty rough on cycling glasses. I throw my shoes on them, my helmet, go over the handlebars with them...:D, etc. I didn't want to invest a lot of money in something that could break so easily or have to be replaced every year.

They come with four different colored lenses. I have a progressive lense insert with correction for astigmatism. Give them a try if you can't find what you want. They are inexpensive, but equal quality to my Oakley's. I just bought a new frame today and 4 lenses online for $80.50. That's about half the normal price. It is the newer frame design, but the prescription insert still fits. I scratched my gray lenses in the crash. I was going to buy new lenses, but it would cost $35. Bolle recommended I buy the new frame design with 4 new lenses for $80.50 instead. Since I scratched the frame also, I decided to get a new pair.

Check out the Eye Care Center in Cary, 720 S.E. Maynard Rd., 467-0959, near Macaroni Grill. Dr. Don Cloninger is a cyclist. David Cole recommended him to me. They have a good selection. You can try on different brands then compare prices online. They gave me 40% off last year.

[RickF]

How much the prescription inserts will cost and whether you can actually use an insert depends on your prescription. Most inserts are limited to about -4.0 diopters. If you are like me, and your prescription is more like -4.75 diopters and you have significant astigmatism, the inserts are not an option. Also, the stronger the prescription and the more astigmatism you have, the less lens wrap you can have without significant distortion. If you do not mind sunglasses with full wrap, but only having the prescription part when you look straight ahead, it might work.

For me, the better option was the Rudy or Oakley Rx lenses. They are more expensive than the insert option, but they can accommodate any prescription. I got my prescription Oakley Square Wires (check out the shades on my avatar) from Eye Care Associates. They were about $300, but well worth the price (especially when you consider that the non-prescription version is $150, and my regular glasses were more than $400).

[Pugslyyy]

I know that you have more options with the inserts, and greater flexibility, but I have concerns about prescription strength and weight/closeness of fit that make me lean towards the prescription lenses.

[Pugslyyy]

For me, the better option was the Rudy or Oakley Rx lenses. They are more expensive than the insert option, but they can accommodate any prescription. I got my prescription Oakley Square Wires (check out the shades on my avatar) from Eye Care Associates.

Rick - you said you went to the one at Crossroads I think? Who was the Optometrist you used?

Thanks,

Jon

[RickF]

Rick - you said you went to the one at Crossroads I think? Who was the Optometrist you used?

Thanks,

Jon
Caroline Silver is my optometrist. I think she rotates offices, but she is at the Crossroads office two or three days per week.

I have been going to Dr. Silver for about 16 years. Her husband is the head coach of the Marlins of Raleigh, a USA Swimming team, and an assistant swim coach at NCSU. Prior to founding the Marlins of Raleigh, he was the head coach of Raleigh Swimming Association. My girls swam with RSA from 1987 through 1996.

[Pugslyyy]

I got my new prescription - same as the old prescription.

Eye Care Assoc. at Crossroads is supposed to have a new shipment of Rudy Project coming in later this week, so I'll head back them. I ordered my regular glasses from Costco - hard to beat their pricing.

[Dluck2]

Oakley has some sick new glasses and also some insane proprietary lens technology now. They are supposed to be leaps and bounds ahead of every other lens on the market att. But, they are really expensive.

[Speedy3]

I have the Oakley Customized Flak Jacket with the XLJ Lens from the Eyecare Associates shop next to Kohl's and AT&T in the BJ's shopping complex on Walnut Street did mine. Ask For Heidi. She was great.

[esther-l]

How much the prescription inserts will cost and whether you can actually use an insert depends on your prescription. Most inserts are limited to about -4.0 diopters. If you are like me, and your prescription is more like -4.75 diopters and you have significant astigmatism, the inserts are not an option. Also, the stronger the prescription and the more astigmatism you have, the less lens wrap you can have without significant distortion. If you do not mind sunglasses with full wrap, but only having the prescription part when you look straight ahead, it might work.


I second the comment about the distortion. If there's much curve in the lens, and you have significant astigmatism and -4.0 diopters, you get distortion. I thought I looked straight ahead most of the time, but I am discovering that I don't.

I have glasses from Performance with a prescription insert that I can wear when I'm on the back of the tandem. I am not going to try driving a bike with these!