Prescription riding glasses or contacts?

[Theish]

I am getting gear ready for a tour divide attempt and I am curious as to what people do about glasses/contacts during such a long ride. I am thinking about going with prescription oakleys. But Im not sure if they have a frame that can take interchangeable lenses (I would need a clear lens to see at night).

I would be interested to hear what people have tried. I am leaning away from contacts for the simple fact i dont like to sleep in them, and I am worried about keeping my hands clean enough to change them everyday.

Thanks for any input.

[Yagi]

I wore contacts on the CT last year, and though it was a total pain in the @$$, I really have no other choice with the vision problem I have.  Not to mention, being that they're RGP contacts, it's mandatory I take them out every night.  I don't know if anybody else on the forum wears them(RGP contacts), but if you ever get something in your eye it feels like somebody scraping a rusty butter knife on your cornea.  So, with the windy/dusty conditions that can arise on an extended tour, or any trail for that matter, I'd go with glasses.  I really didn't have too much of a problem keeping water around to wash up with on my trip, but I really have no idea what the water situation's like on the TD.  To combat the dust and crud, I used some WileyX transitions safety glasses with the removable foam edging like you'd find on goggles.  Worked pretty good.

Good luck.  Hopefully, this helped.

Steve

[trebor]

I used prescription sports glasses. They are wrap-around style and with the Transition (photo-chromatic) lenses worked amazingly well.

If you are lucky enough to have a good vision care plan through work you can solve this without too much issue. I used my benefits plan the year prior to TD and instead of getting "everyday" frames, applied that to a sports frame. The eye doc I used had a bunch of catalogs I looked through and I found a pair that worked. I paid my co-pay and got the exam and glasses for no other money out of pocket.

I've been going on the same pair for 3-years trouble free and almost never wear contacts anymore on the bike. The dust and need for clean hands on multi-day rides make glasses a right-fit for me. Another lucky turn is that my prescription has not changed much in the last few years.

The one major downside is heavy rain and fog. They do get mucked up, like with all glasses. Being that they are correcting your vision, taking them off like most with better vision or contacts might do, could leave you in a less than ideal situation. I combat that with an antifog spray that helps (doesn't eliminate) the water build up on the lens.

These are what I have:
http://www.glassesetc.com/enlarge2.html?http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-94083471470698_2246_315496199?http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-94083471470698_2244_5800672

[THE LONG RANGER]

I had similar questions about the issues with my contacts, so I got my prescription filled a little earlier than usual, and explained what the situation was going to be. Basically, like you, I didn't want to continually put my dirty fingers in my eye, in attempt to clean the contacts. My eye doctor gave me the go-ahead to keep my contacts in, a week at a time, at the most, which basically relieved me of most of my problems.

What I'd do, instead was take out my contacts whenever it was convenient to do so, and I knew I could wash my hands, before putting them in my eyes. This basically means, when stopping for meal. Take them out, put my glasses on, have the meal, put the contacts back on. I doubt I ever took my contacts out at night. It does lead to the bad habit of now, *always* leaving my contacts in (which I don't recommend), but for the race: it worked. I packed a few other pairs of contacts and had some antibiotics, just in case (and of course, glasses).

Whatever you decide, I'd just test out the system, before something like the TD. My eyesight is so bad, switching from/to glasses/contacts is a little unrealistic.

[chrisx]

after dark glasses could keep a tree branch or other unseen thing out of your eye

[brooklyn]

I wore contacts for the tour divide. I planed on taking them out for sleep, but when it came down to it, this was easier said then done so i slept with them on most nights. My contacts don't bother me while sleeping so it really wasn't a problem. I also carried a pair of glasses and a extra pair of contacts. In addition, I always rode with some sort of protective eye wear, sunglasses during the day, clear shades at night. Never had any eye issues.

[Cosmo K]

Here's my plan for this year.  I wear Air Optix Night and Day contacts and have for years.  They are approved for 30 days (and nights) of continuous wear so I'll be wearing those.  However, if my eyes have trouble my back up is to purchase Tifosi Podium sunglasses.  In February they are coming out with RX inserts that you can easily take on and off.  Tifosi podiums also have interchangeable lenses, they work great and they're only $70 retail.

[Theish]

Excellent, thanks for all your replies. I'll try out some plans to keep my contacts in, but i think i will most likely be going with the prescription sport glasses. I found a groupon deal that can be applied to prescription oakleys and project rudy. But those Tifosi podiums seem to be a great deal, especially if you get them from REI.

[Mike K.]

Primary was Oakley sports glasses with perscription Transitions lenses. Worked fantastically well day and night. The humidity is generally very low. Except when actually raining, no fogging issues. I did get fine scratches on the lenses from trying to clean off muck with dirty hands/clothes.

Backup was a set of contact lenses, never used.

[JayP]

i cover my basis in a broad way, to many times dealing with uncomfortable eyes and times of contacts being blown out of my eyes...i use / carry 30 day contact lenses for primary use. throw in a few pairs of daily disposables, and prescription glasses. funny enough my regular sunniies fit over my prescription glasses so i can get away with day use.
you are bound to have eye problems when pushing the limits of sleep and with the conditions over that amount of time you are bound to get some crap in your eyes. being able to rest your eyes naturally and let them flush out will go a long way.
good luck.
-JayP