Viewing 38 posts - 1 through 38 (of 38 total)
  • Contact lenses
  • darrenspink
    Free Member

    Had a test and my old age is getting the better of me, riding during the day isn’t a problem but at night even with my super duper bright light the trails are becoming a bit of a blur.

    Does anyone use contacts and how do you get on with them whilst riding?

    Yak
    Full Member

    Yes – all fine. Use clear riding glasses too – stops muck dislodging the contacts.

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    I wear contact lenses and don’t give them a thought. I do always wear cycling glasses to protect my eyes from the wind, twigs, flying debris, etc.

    Edit to add, I wear cycling glasses regardless of the contacts not because of them.

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    fathomer
    Full Member

    I’ve always used contacts for riding, and football in the past and never had an issue.

    jaffejoffer
    Free Member

    one of the big reasons for laser surgery was my contacts keep blowing out at speed

    ads678
    Full Member

    Yep been using contacts whilst riding for years. never had a problem. I wear glasses on the road bike but not all the time on the MTB.

    Only time I’ve ever had a problem with contacts was snowboarding, had a big crash and hit my head and both contact lenses popped out.

    treaclesponge
    Free Member

    Same as above, been wearing them for a few years now, never had a problem. An absolute revelation for riding and especially in bad weather!

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    Thanks, think my concern was them blowing to the side but of course i’ll be wearing safety glasses usually anyway.

    Getting some free dailys from specsavers so im giving them a bash.

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    I found dailies far more likely to dry out and lift out in windy conditions.

    I use the 30 day lenses now (although I take them out most nights) and find them far more secure and far more comfortable.

    40mpg
    Full Member

    I found dailies far more likely to dry out and lift out in windy conditions.

    I use the 30 day lenses now (although I take them out most nights) and find them far more secure and far more comfortable

    This ^^

    I do generally use dailys but they do get a bit uncomfortable in windy conditions (especially cross-winds, and more so on the road bike). I’ve also got some weekly disposables that you can wear for 7 days straight day and night. These are much thinner, and don’t have the same problem at all. Also can keep them in all night for weekends away / bivvies / 24hr races etc.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    I’ve used contacts for almost 20 years now (monthly disposables). I think in that time I’ve lost one and had a lense come out about three times.

    I almost always wear glasses to help avoid them drying out though I’ve ridden without a few times and not really had issues then either.

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    Interesting. Don’t do road and im usually lurking in some sheltered wood or forest.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Some people have naturally drier eyes so are more likely to have problems with contacts and also contacts aren’t all the same, even within a type (eg daily disposables) – some brands are better than others IME. Since you’re giving them a go, you’ll find out soon enough.

    BTW when I started, it used to take ages to put them in – like 10+ minutes each eye. Now a few seconds. Persevere with it, you do eventually get used to sticking your finger in your eye 🙂

    hunta
    Full Member

    Only issue I get is finding that my eyes feel very dry after exercising (not just on the bike). I usually end up taking them out for a few hours afterwards, but versus not being able to see where you going out on the trails there’s no comparison.

    jaffejoffer
    Free Member

    hate safety glasses. steam up and get covered in shit/rain.

    cruzcampo
    Free Member

    Wear contacts for riding, couldnt go back now such a bettet pheriphal vision thsn glasses. Always wear clear/yellow/purple shades depending on conditions to protect from getting grit/flies in the eye though.

    PeterStarkiss
    Free Member

    Darren,

    Totally agree with comments above about using cycling glasses to stop dust, mud and dry eyes.

    On two occasions I’ve not used glasses and had muck in my eye which resulted in delamination of one eye. Effectively the surface of the eye blistered with the contact lens still in place. Condition disappeared after a few days but alarming at the time and not recommended.

    Now, I don’t know if this was down to the contact lenses or just my eyes but it highlights the value of riding glasses.

    Other than those two occasions absolutely brilliant.

    MartynS
    Full Member

    I’ve been using lenses for 3-4 years now.
    I generally use Dailys when riding, but have monthlys for the rest of the time. The thinking being I’d be annoyed at loosing an expensive monthly whilst on bike, not bothered about Dailys.

    Sometimes wear protective glasses (got some Oakley flak jackets with clear or orange lenses) but I’m not a massive fan of wearing glasses .

    I tried spec savers lenses and just found them to be way to thick and optically a bit weird at night. Lights had a noticeable halo that I don’t get with the ones I have at the moment. Might just be my prescription!

    julians
    Free Member

    I wear contact lenses for riding ,actually I wear them for everything, due to an eye condition that means my vision cant be rectified by glasses or lasers or anything else, and they work fine for me.

    The big problem with lenses is grit getting in your eyes, I dont wear clear glasses because they steam up too much, but that does mean I have to have one of those neoprene things on the fork in conjunction with a mud guard attached to the frame to stop the grit getting in my eyes. This solution is pretty effective I find, but it has to be both the neoprene thing and the mudguard, if I try one without the other it doesnt work.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    I’d be annoyed at loosing an expensive monthly

    FWIW, Specsavers give out free replacements (within reason) though they may cost a bit more – £13/month IIRC. None of the problems you’ve experienced but they do several different lenses depending on your needs.

    Oh and it’s LOSING, not LOOSING 😉

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I use dailies, and mostly just for riding. I’d wear protective glasses whether or not I was using contacts, it’s just common sense IMO, but specifically for contacts they prevent them getting blown about and keep crap out of them which is obviously good news.

    I remember one time I had a problem on a ride with floaty contacts causing vision problems but that was the only time in however many hundreds of rides with contacts.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Was that on band camp?

    Beagleboy
    Full Member

    I’ve just recently started (last couple of months) using daily lens for riding. I’ve definitely noticed them moving around a bit at times and have felt them being blown to the sides even when wearing clear riding glasses on top. I’ve even managed to lose a lens whilst riding.

    In saying that, the benefits have far outweighed these minor annoyances. No more steamed up glasses, leading to me taking them off and squinting my way through yet another technical night ride. No more glasses left at the side of the trail! Being able to see where you’re going on a night ride is pretty awesome, as long as it’s not done with stupidly over powered lights!

    Beagy 😆

    PimpmasterJazz
    Free Member

    Yes – all fine. Use clear riding glasses too – stops muck dislodging the contacts.

    +1

    Mbnut
    Free Member

    I have been using contacts for years – transformed my riding experience in a good way.

    Things to note – getting them in at first is a pig of a job, I used to get very hot and very bothered but once in, brilliant. As mentioned, stick with it and things will improve.

    Specsavers are now ditching Focus daily lens for a softer, better hydrated lens that allows better oxygen flow. I am now on these and I am struggling to get them in…. argghhhh, all that again!! But once in they are great.

    On the bike – I have never lost a lens while riding and rarely if ever have they been blown about… and no… i’m not dead slow… just ride with my eyes shut!

    I wear M frames on the roadie and never have a problem.

    On the mtb I prefer not to wear cycling glasses but i do tend to use them in the summer wnen there is alot of vegetation growing across the trails for protection. In wet conditions I do not use cycling glasses but have a Rockguard mud guard on the front that is quite simply flipping brilliant, no crap in the eyes!

    Overall, stick with it and you will start getting them in easily… then they will transformer your riding.

    @ Treaclesponge – since when have you ridden in bad weather??

    DaveRambo
    Full Member

    Same as above.

    Been wearing lenses for many years on the bike. Always wear glasses with lenses to suit the conditions

    Never had an issue.

    Always have a spare pair or 2 in my pack, just in case and never needed them.

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    Great chaps and thanks for that specsavers daily lens information Mbnut.

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    I use contacts and specifically got them for sports. Prescription glasses got too costly getting them smashed up and there’s just more choice with clear, yellow, shades, goggles for DHing, or just not bothering at all if it’s not cruddy and too dusty.

    Generally find I need something protective in case a bug gets in there though as from experience they get stuck behind the contact and go all nasty.

    I do carry old glasses in my pack in the car also just in case.

    Daily vs Monthly – I use monthly just because they’re cheap and I’ve heard people say that with daily some days they get an odd one that’s not quite the right fit, plus I find first day with a new one the fit is loose but bed in and they might be loose if a fresh one each day. Had a scar added thanks to a contact loosening and I lost it on some rooty gnar.

    p.s. worth noting on any emergency info you carry that you wear contacts. Helps in case emergency services aren’t aware you’ve got them in (again something from experience).

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    Daily Torics here (so no cheap option really for me).

    I’ve ridden in them for years – when I first started though I went noticeably slower – y due to being able to see what I was riding!

    I only ever have an issue if I do something silly, like forget to blink, when racing because i’m concentrating too much – then they go a bit funky.

    I don’t like wearing glasses, so generally try to avoid them, other than when it’s minging.

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    I’ve ridden in them for years – when I first started though I went noticeably slower – y due to being able to see what I was riding!

    Haha, yep I can relate to this.

    j4mie
    Free Member

    I only got contacts (dailies) when I started cycling again last year, really like them but as I don’t wear them all the time and only ride semi-regularly, I find it a bit of hassle getting them in, sometimes they go straight in, others I use about 4 of them and end up getting frustrated and shouting at the damn things doesn’t seem to help them. Would probably be better off wearing them daily but am not a morning person and am usually running to work at the last minute.

    Still, I will persevere with them as they are really good for cycling, tennis, rallying, really anything where glasses could get in the way or be damaged easily.

    Go for it.

    Superficial
    Free Member

    Dailies
    Never wear clear glasses for riding, never had a problem

    I like being able to take them out and bin them straight after a ride. My eyes itch after wearing lenses for more than a few hours, seemingly regardless of what type of lenses and what I’m doing. When I had monthlies I usually waited until I got home to take lenses out / clean them. With dailies I can take them out as soon as I stop riding which is nice.

    cruzcampo
    Free Member

    PSA these come in different colours, and the clear are fantastic for night riding when all the gnats bombard your face

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/arenberg-cycling-sunglasses-category-0-clear-id_8118518.html

    £4.99, super comfy, UV filters, wind proof, anti fog, impact proof, wide vision and keep all grit out.

    bruneep
    Full Member

    p.s. worth noting on any emergency info you carry that you wear contacts. Helps in case emergency services aren’t aware you’ve got them in (again something from experience).

    If you’re having a proper emergency I think this is the least of your worries and the emergency services.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I use monthly extended wear ones, I sleep in them. Forget they are there tbh.

    oldnick
    Full Member

    Specsavers daily ones for me, I have a habit of growing blood vessels across my eyes apparently, so didn’t wear lenses for years until the newer much more permeable lenses came along.
    No problems, except wearing them is rare enough that I have the will they/won’t they go in lottery every time.

    😯 <<< Me trying to get the buggers in.

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    bruneep – Member

    p.s. worth noting on any emergency info you carry that you wear contacts. Helps in case emergency services aren’t aware you’ve got them in (again something from experience).

    If you’re having a proper emergency I think this is the least of your worries and the emergency services.[/quote]

    Well, perhaps not the immediate situation, but having been taken in unconscious, my folks pointed out that I must have been wearing contacts and they had to get someone to investigate to find the contacts in the eyes and remove them, whilst cleaning it all up, checking for debris in the eye and stitching around the eye socket. Also the type I have I can’t sleep with else they go dry out and stick to the eyeball. Thankfully I have no memory of them fishing around for the contacts. Apparently they never found one of them.

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Had a test and my old age is getting the better of me, riding during the day isn’t a problem but at night even with my super duper bright light the trails are becoming a bit of a blur.

    Does anyone use contacts and how do you get on with them whilst riding?

    If it’s something that can’t be corrected with lenses, Moorfield might be able to correct age related loss of night vision. I know they can actually increase the ability of soldiers and raf pilots to see in low light conditions.

    Go and see an Opthamologist there if it carries on bothering you.

Viewing 38 posts - 1 through 38 (of 38 total)

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