Eye wear for blind folk!

[BarnieBarnes]

I was looking for some advice really. Due to my lack of 20 20 vision I have to wear glasses. Does anyone know of a cheap high street opticians that do glasses that not irritate behind me ears whilst still staying on whilst riding. I don't really want to shell out top dollar as I begrudge paying for glasses as it is.

Any advice would be awesome.

Cheers.

 

[jhawk]

Hi Barnie,

I too am a specs-wearer. Whenever I wear my helmet, I found that the glasses arm did rub and cause irritation behind the ears. It's painful and a pain in the arse!

Maybe go in and speak to the opticians? Explain your situation and see what they have for you?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Its another tell me what my favourite colour should be question. You need to try the frames to know if they hurt your ears or not.

I used Asda opticians last time, my high prescription, varifocal & thinner lens options cost £140 (I've paid 3x that before), The internet sells glasses cheaply, but I'd personally rather do this purchase directly with people.

I've never had fit discomfort problems as I am quite finnicky about getting the fit of my glasses right before having them made up. I have no loyalty to any opticians and within reason ( usually 18 months -3 years) I sort new glasses where and when I find a frame that works better than my current one.

you can get prescription cycling glasses, I've never tried a pair, but there are other threads on here that sing their praises

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm a glasses wearer but i've always worn contact lenses for cycling. I find that prescription glasses let the wind irritate my eyes whereas proper eye protection worn over contacts keeps wind and flying objects out.

 

[Globalti]

Just go to TK Max or Decathlon and buy some cheap sunnies, pop the lenses out and get them glazed with the cheapest plastic lenses by your optician.

These cost me £12.99 from TK Max and the lenses cost £50, in single (long distance) vision. They are much more robust than my expensive varifocal frameless titanium glasses and they protect my eyes when riding in dark or dull conditions:

 

[vickster]

I am currently considering these

http://www.spex4less.com/acatalog/Cinetik_Sports_Glasses.html Designed for cycling and a smidge under £80 with prescription inserts, get 3 different lenses. They are about as cheap as I have seen.

I'd rather a pair of properly glazed cycling specs, but as something that could potentially get broken, £200+ is a bit rich for me

Currently I just wear my ordinary specs, no ear rub with a helmet, but with the lenses being quite small, winter watery eye is an issue

 

[Julia9054]

Hi Barnie,

I too am a specs-wearer. Whenever I wear my helmet, I found that the glasses arm did rub and cause irritation behind the ears. It's painful and a pain in the arse!

Maybe go in and speak to the opticians? Explain your situation and see what they have for you?

You're wearing them wrong!

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I have always had good eye sight but over the last few years have started using reading glasses, so i now have the problem of having great long vision but when looking down at my computer/gps it is right on the very edge of clear/blurred.
Now i could get a stick extension and have the computer two feet in front of the handlebars but thats not very practical, and after trying varifocal could not get on with them.
So not sure what to do , anyone else solved this problem

 

[simon.r]

I have always had good eye sight but over the last few years have started using reading glasses, so i now have the problem of having great long vision but when looking down at my computer/gps it is right on the very edge of clear/blurred.
Now i could get a stick extension and have the computer two feet in front of the handlebars but thats not very practical, and after trying varifocal could not get on with them.
So not sure what to do , anyone else solved this problem

No, but as a fellow reading glasses wearer I know exactly how you feel. I reckon there would be a market for a computer that scrolled through the functions and showed each function in large text. The main reason I haven't bought a GPS is that I know I would have difficulty reading it!

Re the OP - I find Bolle safety specs very comfortable (and cheap). They do prescription lenses so may be worth looking into how much they charge.

 

[Julia9054]

I have always had good eye sight but over the last few years have started using reading glasses, so i now have the problem of having great long vision but when looking down at my computer/gps it is right on the very edge of clear/blurred.
Now i could get a stick extension and have the computer two feet in front of the handlebars but thats not very practical, and after trying varifocal could not get on with them.
So not sure what to do , anyone else solved this problem

Have you tried varifocal contact lenses? A friend of mine has just started with these at the age of 50 having never worn contacts before. (Like you, his distance vision is fine) After a period of getting used to sticking his fingers in his eyes, he now really likes them.

 

[snorri]

So not sure what to do , anyone else solved this problem

Perhaps you could get a pair of glasses with just a (bottom)half lens. Normally you are looking over the top of the lens for longer distance stuff, but just use the lens when looking down.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

No, but as a fellow reading glasses wearer I know exactly how you feel. I reckon there would be a market for a computer that scrolled through the functions and showed each function in large text. The main reason I haven't bought a GPS is that I know I would have difficulty reading it!

Re the OP - I find Bolle safety specs very comfortable (and cheap). They do prescription lenses so may be worth looking into how much they charge.

The main computer is fine, its the GPS part that is generally ok , but when your looking at the fine detail its hard work.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Have you tried varifocal contact lenses? A friend of mine has just started with these at the age of 50 having never worn contacts before. (Like you, his distance vision is fine) After a period of getting used to sticking his fingers in his eyes, he now really likes them.

Just the thought of things being stuck to my eye balls has me running for the hills

 

[Julia9054]

Just the thought of things being stuck to my eye balls has me running for the hills

Been wearing contacts myself since I was 22. You could drive a coach and horses over my eyeballs and I wouldn't notice!
I do remember that "hovering finger 3mm from eyeball for 10 minutes in terror" though!

 

[Globalti]

Success or failure with varifocals depends 100% on the care taken by the optician to get the mesaurements right. They should take a good half hour to measure you, gauge the distances and help you decide on the reading prescription. For anybody in the NW I strongly recommend Zunaid at Ideal Eye Care on Whalley New Road, Blackburn, the man is excellent and the varis he makes for me are superb.