Riding with contact lenses

[Athame57]

A bit short sighted a topic I know ( * groan  ) but does anyone here ride with contact lenses? I'm asking because it has become difficult to find current specs that are compatible  with a Bell open face helmet like I wear because thicker lenses mean thicker arms to bend into place (and break). My GF wears them but warns me they are easily blown out of place (  ) I would be wearing goggles at speed but does she have a point?

[Oddjob]

Why not try bike glasses with prescription lens in them. I ordered a pair from Fat Skeleton, Daytona EVA foam padded reactolite with yellow lens. Great for wearing at night and also during sunlight, didn’t realise just how dark they get. No wind gets under them at all, frames are thin and aren’t uncomfortable even with my Shoei full face. Although mine aren’t prescription glasses they do do them.

[Athame57]

Thanks for that Oddjob. I've saved the site to favourites, it's an option now. 

[DomP]

I wear contacts, what i would say is the drying effect of wind in your face is most likely going to be the problem.  I find even car aircon or fans on high can make my eyes dry

[Athame57]

I wear contacts, what i would say is the drying effect of wind in your face is most likely going to be the problem.  I find even car aircon or fans on high can make my eyes dry

What happens with me is I'm likely to get watery eyes like I'm sad or peeling onions!  :'(

[Sesman]

I wore contact lenses for many years with no problems. I used the daily disposable items. Ultimately though I had wavefront surgery and have enjoyed 20/20 vision since. I now suffer from the old person reading glass requirements!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I have a Bell Helmet purchased when I started riding my 400 back in May 2022, the front part opens up like a sharks jaw so its effectively open face in the up position. If I pull it down I have the option of the inside visor up or down, it's some sort of double skinned arrangement to stop it steaming up.

I tend to ride below 40 mph with the sharks jaw  slightly open. Once Im off I shut it fully. The helmet is designed to take spectacles, I recently changed my specs  for some so called unbreakable ones.

As long as there is a mirror handy I can easily feed my specs into the open face of the visor before I pull it down. I feel like one of King Arthur's Nights when I do this. I don't wear my hearing aids when riding my bike, I rely on my mirrors, eyesight plus I can hear without my aids its just dials the noise down by about 60%.

Would it be worth considering my type of helmet instead of an open face design?

[Laverda Dave]

Quite a few helmets these days have cut outs in the side of the cheek foam specifically for the arms of glasses. My current Arai Chaser has this arrangement, my old AGV didn't and I broke a pair of glasses trying to feed the the arms into a non-existant gap.
I guess the helmet manufacturers realise the people who buy their helmets are getting older and need to wear glasses!

[Athame57]

I guess the helmet manufacturers realise the people who buy their helmets are getting older and need to wear glasses!

But do they know many of us (?) want to wear old fashioned helmets like the Bell I have? Being an awkward ass I want a helmet that suits me & Elen! 
I'm presently wearing a £10.oo pair bought at the chemist, not as good as they should be but good enough....for how long though?

[K2-K6]

There are available product like this https://www.e-optician.com/products/prescription-snow-goggle-insert-flex-fit could be of interest and practical use when using goggles.

[Martin6]

I had laser surgery 22 years ago. Was the cost of about 10 sets of glasses. So, not yet saved the cost of specs over that time. But I'm pleased I did it.

In recent years I've needed Tesco reading glasses though.

[Johnny4428]

I relied on visual aids for years, wearing contacts during the day and two pairs of glasses in evening one for reading one for TV. What a PIA. In early 2018 I came accross an ad and reviews for eye surgery in Prague. After a consultation and a bit of correspondence back and fore I flew out for a weeks holiday and a bit of surgery. Following a thorough medical and an eye examination I was good to go. The first eye was done the next day and with a day in between I had the other eye done. I had tri-focal lenses fitted and it really was a game changer. Never felt anything during the op or even post op. A very slick procedure indeed. Ditched the glasses in Prague and haven’t needed any visual aids since. And the good thing is it only cost half the price of a restored SOHC four!😂