Cycling glasses, what's the point?

[subaqua]

Back in pre Oakley, pre Greg Lemond days we never wore eye wear apart from non cycling specific sunglasses on occasion. I don't know how we managed ! Nowadays for all but the winter months I never ride without them, on those odd days when for whatever reason I don't I can practically guarantee an insect/seed/dust strike within minutes of starting the ride. I use cheapo Decathlon glasses with amber lenses, enough to stop glare but bright enough for dawn/dusk/tree cover.

amber lenses should NEVER be worn in bright conditions as they are designed to enhance what is visible. they are NOT sunglasses. Bolle , UVEX , Oakley will all give good advice on protective glasses. being the mercenary I am I get them all to come to site for demos and have learned a lot about protective glasses

 

[subaqua]

Wow. Some of the comments made me double check that this is about glasses, not hats...

how many sets of eyes do you get ?

do what you can to protect them , they are a little more sensitive than my head

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

amber lenses should NEVER be worn in bright conditions as they are designed to enhance what is visible. they are NOT sunglasses. Bolle , UVEX , Oakley will all give good advice on protective glasses. being the mercenary I am I get them all to come to site for demos and have learned a lot about protective glasses

The American Academy of Opthalmologythinks otherwise...
"The color and the degree of darkness do not tell you anything about the lenses’ ability to block UV light...
Whether blue light is harmful to the eye is still controversial.Lenses that block all blue light are usually amber colored and make your surroundings look yellow or orange. The tint supposedly makes distant objects appear more distinct, especially in snow or haze. For this reason, amber sunglasses are popular among skiers, hunters, boaters, and pilots."
http://www.aao.org/eyecare/tmp/sunglasses.cfm

 

[mjr]

how many sets of eyes do you get ?

do what you can to protect them , they are a little more sensitive than my head

Yeah, that's the sort of comment I meant!

I ride every day, mostly without goggles. I get maybe one thing a year in my eye. I don't know about you, but I see things coming and have a protective covering that can extend over the eye...

 

[countertony]

I bought a pair off ebay for about £25 (with a nice case and a variety of lens shades from clear through yellow/orange to that weird oil-slick-style mirroring), and had the inserts glazed at Specsavers (about £40). If my prescription changes in two years, it'll be another forty quid - not bad, all things considered.

Before then I'd had bugs get in behind my regular glasses in the past, almost putting me off into the verge, and (far more often) wind causing my eyes to water if I'm going anywhere north of 35 km/h. Doesn't happen at all any more, and the shades don't fog any worse than my regular glasses.

 

[guitarpete247]

I had a "fly in the eye" incident, many years ago, down hill and coming up to a roundabout. It hurt so much, and I was concentrating on staying upright, I closed both eyes as I couldn't work out which eye it was in. With both eyes shut I braked and came to a stop, thankfully safely and in a straight line. I now wear glasses .

 

[subaqua]

Yeah, that's the sort of comment I meant!

I ride every day, mostly without goggles. I get maybe one thing a year in my eye. I don't know about you, but I see things coming and have a protective covering that can extend over the eye...

so you only rarely get crud in your eye. good for you

having had stuff in my eye and knowing the pain of getting it removed and still being able to see the mark it left I think otherwise.

you knock yourself out in not wearing them but i can guarantee that a high velocity stone wont be stopped by the extendable eye covering.

 

[thecube]

I must admit that not having streaming eyes whilst going downhill was quite nice for once. Still, since I rarely wear contact lenses i'll probably be back to standard eye glasses next ride.

 

[subaqua]

The American Academy of Opthalmologythinks otherwise...
"The color and the degree of darkness do not tell you anything about the lenses’ ability to block UV light...
Whether blue light is harmful to the eye is still controversial.Lenses that block all blue light are usually amber colored and make your surroundings look yellow or orange. The tint supposedly makes distant objects appear more distinct, especially in snow or haze. For this reason, amber sunglasses are popular among skiers, hunters, boaters, and pilots."
http://www.aao.org/eyecare/tmp/sunglasses.cfm

I am going on the information supplied by Bolle and UVEX , oh and Hoya lenses at glasses demonstrations in work. and the body you quote are mercans anyway

 

[Berties]

Always wear glasses whilst riding,on my commute I ride east into the sun under a canopy of trees and that's the only time I don't have them on ,can't see the rough road conditions ,it's a fast down hill run ,by the end of it my eyes stream,as I tend to ride through river valleys to leave home and return the bugs are plentiful
I also have been hit in the face from passing cars flicking grit and dust up,and as I have been to a and e more times over the years to get my eyes washed out ,I wear safety / riding glasses all the time where my eyes are at risk

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

I am going on the information supplied by Bolle and UVEX , oh and Hoya lenses at glasses demonstrations in work. and the body you quote are mercans anyway

I also note that when you see photos of British and US soldiers on patrol in the desert that they are often using amber lenses. But if you'd prefer to trust the word of sales reps...

 

[Leodis]

I wear non cycling specific Oakleys on sunny days and clear Endura ones for everyday (though in between pairs of Endura as the last set broke)

 

[Mark1978]

Having a dragonfly hit my glasses at a combined speed of what must have been 30 odd mph has convinced me to always wear glasses. Cant imagine what that would have felt like hitting me in the eyeball.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I use De Walt safety / impact glasses, at under £4 you cant go wrong
http://www.coleparmer.co.uk/Product...a2hzVOX2_DZUqcX5zYtoPZys0pcmFxzPkzBoCkObw_wcB

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I use De Walt safety / impact glasses, at under £4 you cant go wrong
http://www.coleparmer.co.uk/Product...a2hzVOX2_DZUqcX5zYtoPZys0pcmFxzPkzBoCkObw_wcB

Agreed, and they come in clear or slightly tinted so you can choose depending on the weather. I went for clear ones from my local Machine Mart for the Ride London 86.