Contact lenses for cyclocross or mtb

As anyone who wears glasses knows drizzle, mud splatter can render them useless pretty quickly, its hard to clean them on the trail especially if in race conditions, I am considering getting contact lenses. Is there any issue with grit getting behind the lenses in muddy conditions? I imagine they are even harder to sort out on the trail. This is my first post – im not sure if this is the right way to start a new discussion – cheers

I’ve had contacts. Stopped using them in the main just due to the extra faff factor when getting ready for a ride.

Hygiene is very important when putting them in/getting them out. Grit getting behind them shouldn’t be an issue and never was for me. If it did by some chance happen I’d get the lens out immediately.

Grit getting behind them shouldn’t be an issue and never was for me. If it did by some chance happen I’d get the lens out immediately.

This. My entire MTB history has been with lenses, after I learned that ^ which to be fair has happened approx twice in that time I use dailies on MTB rides that I can chuck away / afford to bin immediately and I keep spare glasses in the car.

never had anything get behind the lens once it is in, occasional stray hair when putting in. sometimes find my eyes water a bit though, and sometimes they get a bit dry. never had an issue with bits of grit in my eyes being kicked up, and this includes road riding in crap weather and taking off glasses so i can see.

Never cut up chilies then try and take out contacts….

Ditto, used dailies for all sport for over 20 years including cross, MTB and road racing. Come back with mud filling the corners of my eyes, never a problem with lenses.

In fact I reckon they’ve helped a few times when a big splat of mud has hit me right in the eye, protecting the lenses a bit. Worst is they move around a bit until you’ve blinked it out.

had some grit get in/on/behind (to sure which it was)and it was bloody horrible. Wear lenses for all riding, but always wear my Oakleys with an appropriate lens. Can’t ride without something infant of my eyes now – feels odd!

After years of holding out with a degree of squeamishness, I started wearing daily disposables about 10 years ago, mainly for sports (I find my eyes dry out too much sitting in an air conditioned office). The biggest benefit for me is all round vision which significantly improves my confidence on technical single track – it is difficult to explain but the addition of the peripheral vision seems to make a big difference to me ( I have powerful prescriptions)
I always wear a pair sunglasses to reduce the risk of muck in the eyes – usually m-frames which give a large coverage. Dirty or wet sunglasses with contacts seems to have less affect on my vision vision compared to dirty or wet prescription sunglasses. I give them a quick squirt at the end of the run with water (plus a mucky nutz keeps the dirt down)
I do always carry a couple of spare lenses with me along with first aid antiseptic wipes so I can clean my fingers if required. Also worth learning to insert them without a mirror – I have always done this but several people I know cannot do this.
Remember that this is all my personal experience – others will disagree with me but does not mean that either of are wrong – it is just about experimenting to see what is right for you

Wow excellent advice thanks everyone, Im going tomorrow to get some contacts sorted, ill go with disposables and I look forward to being able to wear eyewear of my choice!

Never had a problem with lenses in 20 years, though I usually wear cycling glasses anyway unless it’s raining.

I couldn’t ride without contacts but I always wear a pair of oakleys. This has been fine for road riding and most mtb. The only time I had any problems was riding in very wet and muddy conditions where I’ve had mud/grit in my eyes which has ended the ride. I’ve solved that problem with a pair of goggles.

I had one ride where a lens got unsettled for some reason and just wouldn’t settle back down, I ended up just taking it out and more or less cyclopsing everything, really annoying. But that’s just one ride in years of use. I do almost always wear safety glasses over them though (even people with good eyes tend to wear some sort of eye protection after all)

Have you considered laser eye surgery?

They’re fine. I ride both with and without glasses (without if it is drizzly, or the lenses steam up), and have no major problems. I have once lost a lens in my eye, but it sorted itself out in a couple of hours, and I once somehow anaged to cut a slice off a lens, probably with a fingernail, which again sorted itself out eventually. Both sound far worse than they were.

My experience pretty much holds with what pudding said. Wear glasses, use mudguards in winter and you’ll be fine. Much prefer to using glasses

Yep, I have been using contacts for 30 years for sport as v short sighted. Glasses most of the rest of time. Skiing initially as glasses are a pain, hate drizzle / steaming up. Moving on to Dailes simplified it massively. Put them in and chuck when done. Never had any bother with them. It takes a bit of getting use to getting them in. Also you don’t break / scratch your glasses too. Normal shades or clear glasses as protection or not just as many people do.

Another daily wearer here, although I have had problems – but not with grit. My eyes start to water on downhill sections, then the lens falls out. It’s happened even at slower pace on a flat bridleway. Optician told about it and selected my lenses to take this into account, but it still happened. I’ve changed to a different brand of dailies (much softer, like a sliver of clingfilm rather than a concave disc of jelly) in the hope that they’ll be better. I’ll let you know how I get on. PS wearing non prescription Oakleys to protect my eyes from the breeze didn’t make any difference.

Been wearing lenses fir years & much prefer riding with them as I feel my all-around vision is far better. Too keep crap out of my eyes I still wear glasses though (bolle safety specs, cheap as chips)

That said I’ve been very guilty of wearing them to much for way too long & there’s a fear I’m damaging my eyes. Also st this time of year I have issues with hay fever. As a result I’ve recently bought prescription cycling glasses as well.

Ps I use dailys & always have a spare set or 2 in my camelback & another in the car.