Fifty Plus (50+) - Having trouble seeing - Please help me find AFFORDABLE cycling specs

I have been riding of late without eyeglasses, but the ol' 'stigmatism is not exactly enhancing the experience. I do wear sunglasses (usually clear, we don't get much sun up here).

I am trying to find affordable cycling glasses that I can have a single vision prescription put in - near vision, I carry readers for close stuff.

Please chime in with your experiences - but I am not interested in the Oakley or Rudy stuff, as that is too large a % of the next bike account.

Thanks!

Tri Focals from Sears

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/New%20Glasses/FSNMNG.jpg

Do you have a Costco membership? I wear prescrip Oakleys but I'm told that the opticians at Costco actually do a pretty decent job for a reasonable price.

I found cycling specific glasses to be overrated. I have a pair of (??rudy's maybe) with interchangable lenses and prescription inserts. When it was warm, the sweat dripped off my brow onto the inside of the glasses, making them impossible to see thru. I just use my standard issue prescription sunglasses (bifocals) and progressives when it's not sunny. The optics are better too.

I started riding brevets this year and at the end of the 400-km, my eyes couldn't focus on the numbers on the gps or even read street signs. It was due to the dust, dirt and grime accumulated over 19 hrs of riding.

Lots o research led me to Wiley X Brick sunglasses. I talked to my optometrist's staff and they that any frame marked "CE" can be fitted with prescription lenses. I'm Not sure why this is the case - I assume the manufacturer meets EU directives and for frames, it must include something about being able to replace lenses?

Anyway, these are nicely foam-sealed around the edges and that seal can be removed and the glasses worn without it. The lenses aren't too curved either...that's a problem for my Rx.

With my eye insurance, all it'll cost me is $75 for the frames. I should have them in time for the next brevet. So, finding a frame you like and having it filled with your Rx might be a good option also.

I bought mine from bicyclerx.com in San Diego. Their generic wraparound frames are good quality and protect your eyes from flying road junk just as well as the name brand glasses. Prescription wraparound lenses come with all the same options as your regular glasses. Prices for complete glasses are a fraction of Oakley, Rudy, etc.

I am inn the process of converting from specs to contacts. I am far-sighted so I only need the specs to read, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and try contacts. Let me tell you, getting used to contacts at 54 years of age is no easy task. Wearing them is no problem as I feel no discomfort what-so-ever when they are inserted in my eyes. Its the putting them in and taking them out that has me crying like a little baby...:cry:
My optometrist has me experimenting with different powers until I find the ones I can read with and not loose to much of my distance vision. This is the real dilemma; should I sacrifice my perfect distance vision for the convenience of being able to read without specs; or keep my distance visionn and keep lugging around the specs?
Haven't decided yet but leaning toward keepig my perfect distance vision and keep tinkering with the specs.

I am inn the process of converting from specs to contacts. I am far-sighted so I only need the specs to read, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and try contacts. Let me tell you, getting used to contacts at 54 years of age is no easy task. Wearing them is no problem as I feel no discomfort what-so-ever when they are inserted in my eyes. Its the putting them in and taking them out that has me crying like a little baby...:cry:
My optometrist has me experimenting with different powers until I find the ones I can read with and not loose to much of my distance vision. This is the real dilemma; should I sacrifice my perfect distance vision for the convenience of being able to read without specs; or keep my distance visionn and keep lugging around the specs?
Haven't decided yet but leaning toward keepig my perfect distance vision and keep tinkering with the specs.

I would LOVE to only have to deal with only readers - I can do contacts and take care of the astigmatism (very expensive, cuz my stigmatism is pretty bad), but still need readers if I have the contacts. Giving up near for decent far - would be wise to see the road hazards clearly, and a mtb race last weekend showed me that I MUST be able to see better to be able to participate at any speed at all.

I need reading glasses also. I went to a local industrial safety store and purchased three pair of glasses, clear, indoor/outdoor (slight tint) and full sunglasses. They each have a small diopter built in (different strengths are available) so they serve my purpose and they wrap around just like expensive cycling glasses. If they were at all wavy or poorly made they would bother me too much and I wouldn't/couldn't wear them. Each pair cost me only $7.00.

I'd love to find a cheap solution but I was told by a number of opticians that because my left eye is over 5 1/2 diopters weaker than my right there's a problem with centering.
I wear bifocals and because of the funky prescription I need I was told that progressives are impossible. In fact, the bottom half of the left lens is a barycentric prism so it sort of looks like a trifocal. I get a "Wow!" everytime an optician looks at my glasses. The last pair cost me something like $375-400 because of the custom grinding.

I would LOVE to only have to deal with only readers - I can do contacts and take care of the astigmatism (very expensive, cuz my stigmatism is pretty bad), but still need readers if I have the contacts. Giving up near for decent far - would be wise to see the road hazards clearly, and a mtb race last weekend showed me that I MUST be able to see better to be able to participate at any speed at all.
You can get multifocal contacts, which provide crisp clear vision, seamlessly, at any distance, no need for reading glasses. I've worn them for several years, and they are wonderful. Mine are rigid gas permeable lenses. I'm not sure these lenses can be made in soft lenses, but gas perms are so much better anyhow! The cost up front is high but you can wear the same pair of lenses for a couple of years with proper care.