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Anybody ride/ski with contact lenses?

4K views 34 replies 27 participants last post by  gaba 
#1 ·
Might need to get some - wasn't sure if riding would result in the lense slipping, becoming dislodged, slicing your optic nerve, etc.


Thanks!!
 
#3 ·
Been wearing contacts while riding for 20 years, they're totally comfortable and a much better option than prescription sunglasses (or those weird double-lens sunglasses). No problems, but like kherron says be sure to wear sunglasses, even in low light, or goggles if it's really dusty and you're going to be following other riders.
 
#5 ·
I ride with soft contacts everytime, when I 1st started riding I seemed to have trouble with blinking out a lense occasionally on long, fast descents, but lately I have not had any issues. Besides sunglasses, I'd definitely suggest using preservative free eyedrops before riding, been a big help for me. I forgot my sunglasses yesterday at the Howell Mtn Challenge but everything went fine, just dusty eyes but that was an issue for everyone.

I'm strongly considering Lasik now, tired of all the contact/glasses hassles.
 
#7 ·
I have been using soft contact lenses while riding for 2 years and no problems. Never problems with blinking out a lense on fast descents. Important to wear sunglasses as the dirt will aggravate your eyes. If riding at night, evening, or in low light conditions just pick up a pair of sunglasses with clear lenses (or better yet a pair that comes with different lenses that you can switch out). After very dusty rides its helpful to have eye drops at your car to throw a couple in, but even I have found that this is rarely needed.
 
#8 ·
Been wearing contacts off and on for 18yrs or so. I wear glasses 90% of the time for daily stuff but I prefer to ride in contacts and usually without sunglasses. The fogging up and slipping off my face drives me crazy. I don't race, so if I'm riding with others I'll just drop back and wait out the dust... it's not the end of the world.
 
#9 ·
I've been wearing contacts for a long time. I must agree with everyone on here. Sunglasses for mtb. and googles or sunglasses for skiing. When I try either without sunglasses my eyes tend to water too much to make it without. There have been a few night rides when I took my glasses off but that would be mostly for climbs. I have a pair of the REI brand sunglasses that come with different lenses for different light. I actually prefer the orange or yellow lenses most. They tend to brighten everything up and make it easiser to see obstacles but take away the brighness you would associate with the sunlight. It also will brighten up the trail when the sun is starting to go down. You'll take them off and be suprised how much darker out it is than you thought.
 
#10 ·
I used to all the time, and sometimes one would pop out or slip...pain in the arse. I always carried a spare set of disposables and some saline in my pack just in case I lost one. Glasses work ok, but get fogged up in the winter and sweat on in the summer, and broken when I crash. I prefer contacts when I ride, but just have to plan just in case you lose one.
 
#11 ·
Yup, dry eyes and extra drops, and popping out... became too much.
I filled up my FSP,and got LASIK. Thats was 8yrs ago. It works! Life is sooo much better when you can see the world right when you wake up, and dont to search around for glasses...

PM me for a referral if needed.
 
#14 ·
Dust, wind, and dryness are a major reason why you should wear sunglasses with contacts, but it's not just about that.

Eventually, contacts or not, if you're not wearing sunglasses you're gonna take a rock/branch/twig/whatever to the eye and you'll change your stance on eye protection real quick.
 
#21 ·
Worn contacts for 20 years and never had a problem or lost one. I wear em scuba diving and surfing and while I keep an old pair of prescription glasses in my car to drive home with just in case, I've never needed to use them. Older long wear contacts were worse as they needed cleaning and dried out easier. Now with these disposables I put em in when i get up and forget about them.
Don't know why anyone would ride without eye protection. I put the clear lenses in my sunglasses for night riding.
 
#22 ·
Yep 20 year contact lens wearer here as well. Been skiiing just as long and mtb-ing on some level nearly as long as well. No problems.

Goggles for skiing are a must, and the only issue i ever had while riding was with mud flying up in them amd screwing with them in muddy CX or MTB races. On those days i'll bring an extra pair of disposables and leave em in the car just in case...




Sebt frm my iPhne usig Tapaak
 
#30 ·
I'm to nearsighted to get away without correction in both eyes, but I do have different correction levels for the same reason. My dominant eye is corrected for better far vision, and my other eye is under-corrected to help with close-up work like reading. (You young guys will understand this in about 20 years...) Pretty common approach to vision correction, according to my optometrist (who is also a riding buddy).

All of you guys (and gals) riding without eye protection are nuts, btw. Helmet and eye protection...don't leave home without them.

Oh...for those of you secure enough to not need a $100+ logo on your eyewear, take a look at the selection of safety glasses at Home Depot. For $10-20, you'll find many styles that look very similar to much more expensive boutique brands. And when you are blowing by everybody on the road/trail, they won't have a chance to see the logo anyway.
 
#25 ·
Contacts here too. I always wear sunglasses, or clear lensed glasses when I ride too. Ever since wearing contacts my eyes have been magnets for getting stuff in them, and they water easily too when riding fast without eyewear. I got a pair of photochromic sunglasses, and then a set of clear lenses for when its really dark.
 
#26 ·
I recently got contact lenses (monthly disposable ones) in the past year and I too had this worry but I just ride with my sunglasses everytime. I was worried about it too falling out due to the wind drying out my eye and dust getting in there and agitated my eye.

I have a really high prescription (+8) so my options for good looking sunglasses equated to 0 so I was stuck with stupid looking ones with thick/heavy lenses that always seemed too small to block out sun coming from top/sides.

Now I got a pair of Oakley's that I love and the G30 lens is amazing!

In a couple years I will put money away in a FSA and do lasik but for now, I'm fine with my current situation :)
 
#33 ·
Now I got a pair of Oakley's that I love and the G30 lens is amazing!
The only time I wear contacts is when I have to wear a full face helmet, which in my case would be for ice hockey. This past spring I switched to G30 lenses in my prescription riding sunglasses (used to have black ones, which were a pain if I went into tree cover).

Note that I have three pairs of prescription lenses: the ones I wear 99% of the time (non sunglasses), a dark pair of sunglasses for normal use / more fashion oriented (driving, bbqing etc...) and a dedicated pair of riding glasses.

My prescription hasn't changed in 5 years so it was easy. I did look at lasik, but my cornea was too thin and given that I'm 37, I would most likely need reading glasses in my 40s anyhow... not worth taking the chances (I have a coworker who after having lasik 5 yrs ago) must wear sunglasses when he goes outside.
 
#32 ·
Unfortunately I have to wait till January to get any new correction because of a change in insurance.

I can only wear hard lenses because of the shape of my stigmatism; I've heard that hard lenses can be difficult to wear and take a lot of getting used to.
 
#35 ·
Contacts of all types irritate the piss out of my eyes, even with preservative free solution, rewet drops, patenol drops, etc etc. I rarely wear them at all. Unfortunately I have a thin irregular cornea which makes LASIK more dangerous. I guess PRK is an option but is one eyes at a time and takes months to heal. Prescription sunglasses it is then!
 
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