Commuting - Prescription sunglasses, need advice

my 46-yr old eyes aren't what they used to be (just started wearing progressive/bi-focals), and I'm looking into getting some prescription cycling glasses. I'm wearing some old single vision glasses (with a 3rd-eye thingy (don't want to bend the frame on my current frames)) from a couple years ago and have had headaches at the end of my rides. So, I rode over to my optician this morning to check out what they had and left disappointed. They didn't have much of a selection and didn't seem to know how to go about getting what I was looking for. I asked for my prescription and left. I saw Performance has glasses with an RX option. Anyone have any experience with this? Please advise.
Thanks,
MikeB

I bought some Addidas sunglasses about a year ago and they have a perscription glasses insert. They have worked really well for me and are completely adjustable. The only problem is that they were close to 200 bucks!! If you have the money to spend they are pretty nice (sweat band on the top so sweat doesn't get in your eyes). Do some research though, I'm sure there are a lot of other glasses out there.

Take it easy

I bought a pair of Bolle Parole sunglasses (4 different colored lenses and the RX insert) on sale cheap (~$65) at Nashbar but, they couldn't grind the precription that I needed (+4, bifocals and astigmatism). When I had my local optometrist do the RX, that part wasn't so cheap ($$$). Over $300!! Hope your eyesight is better than mine!

They have worked out very well. I wear them all the time instead of my old clip-on sunglasses. When I pulled off the rubber nosepad trying to change the colored lens, the eye doc was really nice and swapped my frames for his demo model. Nice guy especially since I didn't buy the frames and insert from him. I now know how to change the lens correctly!

Besides Nashbar, Performance, etc., check out ShadeSaver.com, EyeSave.com, and OpticSuperStore.com. Sometimes, they have some good deals.

Ron

I saw Performance has glasses with an RX option. Anyone have any experience with this?

I did not have a very good experience with them when I tried to use their prescription service several years ago. Hopefully it was a fluke and/or they've gotten better.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/cycling/performance_complaint_letter.txt

I did not have a very good experience with them when I tried to use their prescription service several years ago. Hopefully it was a fluke and/or they've gotten better.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/cycling/performance_complaint_letter.txt

Hey khuon, Did you ever get a reply to that letter?

Hey khuon, Did you ever get a reply to that letter?

In all fairness, they actually did attempt to make amends after I sent them this letter. A week later (two days after my important ride), they sent me via FedEx another prescription insert with Rx lenses cut to my specifications for free and told me I just send them back the unfilled insert as an RMA. I have since let up on my criticism of them. I do go to their local stores for small regularly stocked items such as tubes but I don't trust them with anything complicated and I have pretty much sworn them off for mail-order since if I'm mail-ordering something, it's going to be highly important and I'd rather go through my FBS who has never let me down even if it means paying a little extra.

I use some std frames with prescription shades. It helps to have a neutral/green colour, and NOT a brown/red tint.
The lens should be fairly large (aviator style), and have springy arms.
Lens inserts mean 4 optical surfaces, so much more flare.

Just this year purchase Rudy Project with prescription inserts. Bought them thru my optometrist who had recommended them (he also wears them). The Rx is for bifocal and has worked well.

Only problem I have is if I try to wear these with ear warmers. The ear pieces extend straight back beyond the ear and the tight fitting ear warmers tends to push them forward.

Otherwise I like them a lot.

I saw Performance has glasses with an RX option. Anyone have any experience with this?

I ordered a pair of Performance (Radial I think?) glasses with single correction lenses this winter and am happy with them. Since we still have snow on the ground I've only had one chance to ride with them but the vision correction is very good.
Good luck!

I use some std frames with prescription shades. It helps to have a neutral/green colour, and NOT a brown/red tint.
The lens should be fairly large (aviator style), and have springy arms.
Lens inserts mean 4 optical surfaces, so much more flare.

I used to cycle with just regular frames but always had a problem with my eyes tearing up so I went to wraps for better sidewind protection. Since then I can come screaming down a descent at 50+ MPH without watery eyes and blurry vision. I do get your point about the 4 optical surfaces causing flaring and some distortion though. I usually wear contacts for my road riding and use the prescription inserts for when I'm mountain biking. I carry the inserts on road rides along with a contact case and a set of alternative sunglass lenses in the event I desperately need to swap things around.

I have a pair of Rudy Project Kerosene glasses. They are designed for the head-down position on a road bike which is useful. Prescription is up to +-3.5 I think.

i would not mail order a rx lens...especially if you require any significant degree of correction

a good optical shop can get a wide array of sunglasses made from regular frames

however i prefer a wrap around style for riding and chose the bolle parole.

the rx insert is fitted behind the sunglasses and works well. unfortunately they do not make them with the high density plastic so they are much thicker than a regular lenses

they were much less than 300 when i got them from my opthomologist office (did get a university discount though)

my 46-yr old eyes aren't what they used to be (just started wearing progressive/bi-focals), and I'm looking into getting some prescription cycling glasses. I'm wearing some old single vision glasses (with a 3rd-eye thingy (don't want to bend the frame on my current frames)) from a couple years ago and have had headaches at the end of my rides. So, I rode over to my optician this morning to check out what they had and left disappointed. They didn't have much of a selection and didn't seem to know how to go about getting what I was looking for. I asked for my prescription and left. I saw Performance has glasses with an RX option. Anyone have any experience with this? Please advise.
Thanks,
MikeB


I'm 47 and could not take bifocals--they drove me nuts. I have reading glasses that work just fine for reading. I also have a pair of prescription sunglasses I wear riding/driving/outdoors to use in alternate with my regular distance glasses.

Due to the extent of my near-sightedness, all of my glass frames are fairly small in size; this has been easier now that the "fasion" has shifted to the smaller frame size. If I use a larger frame, the edges of my lenses become VERY thick, and they are quite heavy, even with plastic. I use the same style frame for my sunglasses as I do for my reg. distance glasses. I find that these, combined with the visor on my helmet keep out most of the "squint" light from the sun.

In the past I have tried glass frames that come with their own clip-on shades, specifically made for the frames. They work well, but I found that the more layers of lenses (separated by air), increasing the thickness of what I look through, the more distortion I got looking through the layers. I think that I am so near-sighted that ANY reduction in the amount of light reaching my eye--and even a clear lense reduces the light and more thickness makes it worse-- makes for a disturbing drop in clarity of vision (at least for me!).

I recommend that you get a pair of shades, prescription, in as large a frame as possible and wear them with a visor on your helmet for the maximum ease of your face muscles and the best accomodation in price. Plus you will be able to wear the shades elsewhere, not just on the bike.

I would love to get somthing that would wrap and shield me from light from the sides of my eyes, but I am very reluctant to try the double lense system used in the bicycle/sport frames I have seen, due to the effects I have mentioned above.

I can only dream of having vision good enough for no glasses at all!

thanks for all the good replies. I went to a LBS and picked up a pair of the Rudy Project RB3 w/Rx insert. I bypassed the optician, and talked directly to my eye doctor. She got things straightened out and my prescription is being processed.

I did not buy a really expensive jersey(full of beans' jersey) to splurge on sunglasses. Performance sunglasses are nice. Those I have used for years, but tired of nosepieces falling apart..
So I just ordered Rudy Project's Ryndal's...Need a prescription insert which I will have to fill out later... I will tell you later how I like them...But as to the regular Performance glasses. Nice glasses but the plastic/foamy nose piece is subject to deteorate making the nose piece uncomfortable.
Wish I could have found a store where I could have tried on the Ryndal's', but I could not locate a store that had them on display... From all I hear by those who own them , I will be pleased...Yes, they were pricey...About the same price as commented on by others in this thread,but it is my tax refund splurge.

I wish I would have seen the Rudy Project's sunglasses before I got my Addidas. It looks like the eyeglass insert is a bit bigger than the one in mine (makes a difference when you have a stigmatism). If i wasn't saving up to get my girlfriend a bike I'd save up for a pair of those. I'll be interested to hear how they turn out. Peace

http://sportsoptical.com/

Oakley Half Jackets are the best fitting sunglasses I have ever worn. You can get prescription

http://oakley.com