[Closed] Prescription cycling glasses - advice please

I currently have a pair of Oakley Crosslink from RX Sport on. They are great, no problems with ever frame or the transition lenses.
I also have several pairs of glasses including a couple of Oakley ones glazed with either transition or clear lenses from Ciliary Blue. They are also absolutely fine. The only ones that aren't perfect are my Oakley Whiskers but that's because they are right at the limit of what can be glazed for my prescription curve-wise, the shape of the lens means there is a little distortion at the edges.
I'd go for whatever frames you want sent to Ciliary Blie, although it's worth checking they can do the ones you want especially if they are half frame.

I'm currently looking at a pair of Oakley M2 XL with prescription lenses to replace my old M Frames (Heater lens no longer available) which are a good 10 years old now. Very expensive at purchase, but if you spread the cost over their lifetime, it's not so bad, and the optics do have a deserved good reputation. Personally, i'd avoid anything with a second frame to house the prescription too, they're very prone to misting, and the extra weight means they always want to slide down sweaty noses, though having different lens tints will obviously work out cheaper.

Can't offer advice on your choices, but I and a few others on here have used [url= https://www.optilabs.com/product-category/sport/cycling-sunglasses/ ]Optilabs[/url] for prescription glasses. Decent value IMHO.

I walked into Optilabs and had ace help.

I'm on my second pair of Ciliary Blue glasses, they're great. Replaced the first pair because the lenses had seen better days (used for biking and skiing, they'd not been pampered...) A Transitions lens is a Transitions lens, and all the UVA/UVB stuff is standard. They can hardcoat them if needs be (that might be standard too, can't remember)

As for whether they can do the style you want, I'd be amazed if they can't, but give 'em a ring.

FWIW, I've also used Optilabs in the past, paid four/five times what Ciliary Blue cost, and saw no difference at all in service or product.

I have used both.

First pair was oakley racing jacket with black iridium photochromic lenses from rxsport. These were amazing glasses. Very costly at £370. I was gutted as I left them in a taxi from a day of drinking 🙁

Then about 3 months ago i decided to try ciliary blue. I bought a pair of oakleys on line for £120 and then sent them off to ciliary blue to have some transition lenses for £60.

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Really pleased with the result. The lenses are slightly thicker than the oakleys but not noticeable in the frames.

and to answer your other question I believe thye can do a whole range of glasses. You'll notice the oakleys have quite a curve on them. When I spoke to them on the phone they were getting a new machine to deal with all types of oakley lenses

[I] I bought a pair of oakleys on line for £120 and then sent them off to ciliary blue [/I]

I bought a pair of sunglasses from Mountain Warehouse for £14. And before that, some, ahem, 'Ferrari' glasses from a man in Greece for 8 euros. Me, cheapskate? 🙂

Ciliary Blue did both no probs, both pretty wraparound/curved frames too.

"Very costly at £370. I was gutted as I left them in a taxi from a day of drinking"

I had a pair of RX Oakleys some years ago, which cost something astronomical (more than £370!), which I left in a friend's works van, and never saw them again. 😥

TBH, I don't think a few hundred pounds on eyewear is all that excessive, relatively. You only have one pair of eyes, and they're two of your most important organs, so it makes sense to look after them. How much do we spend on shoes/bike components/watches etc? My regular Ti framed specs cost £250+.

I'd go for Oakley again, simply because the quality is excellent and the lenses can be trusted to be literally bulletproof, whereas I'd not be so confident in other brands. My regular optician was very impressed with the Oakleys. And if they actually made anything in a style I'd consider wearing, I'd buy another pair in a shot.

I tried Ciliary Blue to get a pair of Bolle Safety specs reglazed with a fairly mild prescription.
I had to send them back a couple of times as they just weren't right (felt like I was wearing the wrong prescription). Still not right but the cost of postage to keep sending them back, waiting to get them returned and all while still needing a pair of specs for riding meant that I didn't feel it was worth it any more.

I took the plunge and got some Rudy Projects with prescription inserts. Not cheap by any stretch, but am very pleased with them and they were spot on first time.

Si

Having scratched many an expensive glasses lens I now use contacts and use what comes with the glasses/shades. Much cheaper and also prevents any strange magnification and distortion issues with prescription lenses.

Thanks folks - some useful input there. Unfortunately I can't use contacts, and I don't want inserts, so direct glaze is my best option.

I agree that eyes are important! Hence the query about the quality of the lens, in particular re protecting my eyes from UV / dust etc - happy to pay more if necessary for improved protection. Equally, I'm never going to be a winner in the fashion stakes (!), so I'm not interested in paying a premium for a product unless it offers a reasonable gain in performance.

It would appear that experiences differ re Ciliary Blue, but given the substantially lower cost, I am tempted to give it a try. Those that do use their lens - do they offer suitable levels of UV protection (eg suitable for the very strong light of the alps)?

Thanks again all 🙂

hose that do use their lens - do they offer suitable levels of UV protection (eg suitable for the very strong light of the alps)?

Yes, certainly. Mine transition from clear to dark (83% tint) in the sun. They have another lense that goes to 87%. I used them all weekend riding in very bright sun in wales at the weekend. here's the lowdown on the transition 7

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I've skied in mine, no probs.

"given the substantially lower cost"

It's sometimes difficult to justify the expense of something when a similar thing is available for seemingly far less, online, but personally I would always go with a reputable 'bricks and mortar' type place for things like prescription eyewear. One because it's always nicer to deal with real human beings, and two because you have a much easier situation to deal with if things aren't quite right. I've herd of a few bad experiences with online glasers, enough to make me avoid them. A proper high street place will offer a much better experience imo.

One thing to not about Transitions; I've tried all manner of photochromatic lenses over the years, and even the newest ones deteriorate with age, regarding transition time. My current Transition lenses take ages to react after only two years. Not ideal if going in and out of sunlit and shaded areas.