Prescription Lenses for cycling

andy69

Hey folks,
Just wondering...as another aspect of old age has just crept up on me, and my Optician now says I would be better off wearing prescription lenses while out on the bike:

My two favourite brands would be Rudy Project and Oakley but neither* provide them with prescription lenses.

Found a company in the UK that clip on prescription lenses to the inside of the Rudy Projects. They also can 'fuse' a lens onto the inside of Oakleys but that doesn't look 'right' either...bit odd looking.

Anyways, was wondering if anyone here might have sourced something...maybe there's a supplier that can fuse a prescription lens over the whole of the original lens, or replace them with a full sized prescription lens.
Guys I found (rxsport in the UK) just sort of adapt the original glasses by clipping, or fusing (depending on the brand) the prescription ones.

I don't mind their solution - just thought if there was one that looked like an original lens but was in fact a prescription one then great.

I can't use Contact Lenses (can't touch my eyes...yuck...even the thoughts )


*Oakley do offer a small range of frames, outside of their 'everyday' glasses but not the ones I like.

Deano12345

andy69 wrote: »

I can't use Contact Lenses (can't touch my eyes...yuck...even the thoughts )

Same!

Wish I could offer something useful but I've been looking up a pair and it seems like the clip/fuse seems to be the only way.

My prescription is so strong I actually cant wear Oakleys/Rudy etc but have settled on a pair of Bolle Shifters, which I don't think look too bad even with the prescription inserts!

meercat

I got a pair from vision express. They had a catalog and ordered them from England for me. 3 weeks delivery time.This is what I got with prescription lenses

https://www.norville.co.uk/acatalog/Racer-Extra-Large-63-18-1-1.html

wheelo01

meercat wrote: »

I got a pair from vision express. They had a catalog and ordered them from England for me. 3 weeks delivery time.This is what I got with prescription lenses

https://www.norville.co.uk/acatalog/Racer-Extra-Large-63-18-1-1.html

If you don't mind me asking - what price were these? Theres no price that I can find on that site, thanks.

meercat

wheelo01 wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking - what price were these? Theres no price that I can find on that site, thanks.

€180. Vision express already had my prescription. I originally had the flip up ones but they broke and when the optician was looking through the catalog we spotted these which are much better.

cdaly_

I get my glasses from http://www.zennioptical.com. Tried a pair of Sport Sunglasses with inner prescription but they were so close to my eyes that my lashes were brushing them at every blink!

My current cycling glasses are ordinary frames. Adding bi-focal lenses (to see gps as well as distance) and light-sensitive glass with all the relevant coatings they cost around $85. Delivery takes around a month.

mamax

Have a look at these as well > https://www.rapideyewear.co.uk/en/cycling-sunglasses/247-prescription-cycling-sunglasses-uk.html#/6-lens_sets-no_extra_lenses/54-prescription-single_vision_lenses_polycarbonate

ruffmut

I got a set of these last year BBB Select optic glasses last year from Marrey Bikes. I got my optician to glaze them for me. I find them great and have had no problem with condensation between the lenses. I also got these with a photochromic lenses.

https://www.marreybikes.com/sunglasses/8624-bbb-select-optic-mtb-road-bsg-51-glasses.html

andy69

andy69 wrote: »

Hey folks,
Just wondering...as another aspect of old age has just crept up on me, and my Optician now says I would be better off wearing prescription lenses while out on the bike:

My two favourite brands would be Rudy Project and Oakley but neither* provide them with prescription lenses.

Found a company in the UK that clip on prescription lenses to the inside of the Rudy Projects. They also can 'fuse' a lens onto the inside of Oakleys but that doesn't look 'right' either...bit odd looking.

Anyways, was wondering if anyone here might have sourced something...maybe there's a supplier that can fuse a prescription lens over the whole of the original lens, or replace them with a full sized prescription lens.
Guys I found (rxsport in the UK) just sort of adapt the original glasses by clipping, or fusing (depending on the brand) the prescription ones.

I don't mind their solution - just thought if there was one that looked like an original lens but was in fact a prescription one then great.

I can't use Contact Lenses (can't touch my eyes...yuck...even the thoughts )


*Oakley do offer a small range of frames, outside of their 'everyday' glasses but not the ones I like.

wrap around glasses can't have a prescription lense. The glass has to be pretty much flat, from what I understand. So if you want that style, you need the clip in frames.

I bought these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XJ7KLS5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 last year and specsavers stuck a lense in for €40.

for what ended up costing around 60 quid, I thought it a risk worth taking and so far it has worked out well.

odyssey06

It depends on your prescription... beyond a certain point the prescription can't be curved.

If you have a typical prescription you can get something like this:
https://www.eyekit.co.uk/norville-srx12-36676.html

ruffmut

Aegir wrote: »

wrap around glasses can't have a prescription lense. The glass has to be pretty much flat, from what I understand. So if you want that style, you need the clip in frames.

I bought these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XJ7KLS5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 last year and specsavers stuck a lense in for €40.

for what ended up costing around 60 quid, I thought it a risk worth taking and so far it has worked out well.

Can I ask you what branch of specsavers. I asked the Tralee branch before and they would not do this for me. I had to go to another optician.

Weepsie

Gilna opticians in IFSC does some I think and he's a keen cyclist or Glanmire opticians in Cork does some.

Funnily enough, both opticians are from Cork and cycle but are entirely unrelated.

ruffmut

ruffmut wrote: »

Can I ask you what branch of specsavers. I asked the Tralee branch before and they would not do this for me. I had to go to another optician.

Dun Laoghaire I'm afraid.

fat bloke

I was like you for years - wailing and gnashing of teeth wondering how on earth I could wear glasses cycling. Gazing mournfully at Oakleys and their silly prices.

Just buy the sort that take a prescription insert like this:




There's loads of companies do that sort of a thing. I went to an opticians in Maynooth and they had a range of glasses styles to choose from and they all took the same style clip-in prescription insert. I'm using the same pair now for easily 4 years and probably longer. - I think the insert was like 35 quid, the glasses themselves were about 50 and I didn't even need a test, they just measured from my own daily specs.

Job done. Pedal on.

andy69

that's great, thanks guys!!! really appreciate the help, and there's lots of options to think about alright - I had seen the kind like FatBloke shows there, and also like the BBB's above but thought maybe I might be able to get something actually 'integrated', as the look of inserts/clips don't really win me over....but alas it looks like the cool, funky wrap-round styles are for the sightly-gifted among us, and a thing of the past now for me

Anyway, I reached out to the rxsport guys there in the UK and they got back to me fairly quick - there are some integrated options through Rudy Project and Bolle (and of course the high-priced, but restricted-choice Oakley's) that are supplied with actual prescription lenses, so there's no clips or inserts/fusing of lenses on the inside.
Only thing is, that comes at a cost...like a BIG cost. up in the region of 400eur and more

"Rudy Project Rydon Directly Glazed" and the "Oakley Field Jacket" would be my top runners out of the choices, but jaysus that price range! I'm such a Poseur, but not sure they'd make me look THAT good

The ones above from 'eyekit' and 'norville' I think would be better value. Especially if ye leave an expensive brand behind ye somewhere (which I've done), or sit on them in your car when getting ready for a race/sportive (which I've nearly done) or whatever - big loss! :eek:

Zen0

Surprised nobody has mentioned Optilabs (https://www.optilabs.com/). They do wrap arounds in lots of options, including varifocal and photochromic. Best sunglasses I have found for cycling.

cdaly_

In the days before I needed a distance prescription, I got 'bifocal' wraparounds from http://eyelids.ie. These had a plain main glass and a small section with a reading lens. Cheap enough if you just need to see GPS.
https://www.eyelidsreadingglasses.ie/mens/bi-focals-male/sandy-bi-focals-sunreaders.html

Mercian Pro

+1 on Optilabs.

My optician had trouble finding anything that didn't involve an adapter and the idea of trying to dry double lens on a misty day didn't appeal to me. Norville were considered at one point but there seemed to be a problem getting the frames I wanted.

Eventually I found a recommendation for Optilabs on another cycling blog and have ended up with Reactolite varifocal lens that are great for cycling, hill walking, sailing and general wear. They are not "fashion" cycling glasses but at least that means they don't look odd for other uses. Not cheap but perfect for what I needed.

https://www.optilabs.com/product/flow/

C3PO

Another + for Optilabs! Not the coolest styles available but work really well and excellent service!

selwyn froggitt

100% Optilabs.
Super customer service,great to deal with.

MojoMaker

andy69 wrote: »

My two favourite brands would be Rudy Project and Oakley but neither* provide them with prescription lenses.

Picked up a pair of Oakley sport glasses for a variety of outdoor activities including cycling, with prescription lenses, from Vision Express last year. Not particularly cheap but not crazy money either - always deals and offers going on in these kind of places anyway, think I spent €280 maybe?

outfox

Aegir wrote: »

wrap around glasses can't have a prescription lense. The glass has to be pretty much flat, from what I understand. So if you want that style, you need the clip in frames.

No longer true. I have a pair of Bolle full wraparound cycling glasses, that look the same as any other pair of wraparounds. The technology has come on a lot in the last 3 years. FWIW I'm blind as a bat. I got mine through John Daly opticians in Cork. Not cheap (around €450 if I recall), but worth every penny. They might be cheaper now.

05eaftqbrs9jlh

https://www.smartbuyglasses.ie/

Never let me down, I've three different pairs I got from them. If you're not in a hurry, wait until they have a sale on. They have all the brands, you'd find an Oakley pair definitely.

AndrewJRenko

Slightly off-the-wall suggestion, but would you consider contact lenses? They wipe clear with a blink, and the cost is fairly manageable these days with monthly disposables.

Ray Palmer

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Slightly off-the-wall suggestion, but would you consider contact lenses? They wipe clear with a blink, and the cost is fairly manageable these days with monthly disposables.

Which was mentioned in the OP as something they didn't want

andy69

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Which was mentioned in the OP as something they didn't want

Yeah I don't think I could.....even the thoughts of it make me feel sick. Total wuss