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Should I wear glasses or contact lenses when cycling?

If you have vision problems and want to play sports, you must have asked yourself one day: how to adjust my vision during my bike rides? For that, we will find out in this article if it is better to wear sports glasses with your eyesight thanks to corrective lenses or contact lenses for cycling.

Why should you wear contact lenses for cycling?

If you wear contact lenses in your daily life, you know how life-changing they can be because of the freedom they provide.
When it comes to cycling, wearing contact lenses will first and foremost provide you with a feeling of freedom and an extra wide field of vision. In addition, unlike prescription glasses, you won't have to keep pulling them up on your nose due to sweat.
Finally, you can pair them with any pair of sunglasses or cycling glasses without worrying about whether they can fit your correction.

However, despite all the positive aspects, there are also negative aspects to consider when wearing contact lenses for cycling.
Indeed, in the context of outdoor sports such as cycling or running, for example, which induce a notion of speed, contact lenses can dry out and therefore cause irritation to the eyes, especially because of the wind or in the case of long-distance rides. However, this can be remedied by applying eye drops to moisturize the eyes or by wearing bike glasses without optical correction over the lenses to perfectly protect your eyes.

Why do you need to wear glasses to ride a bike?

If, on the other hand, you prefer to wear eyeglasses because you can't stand contacts, you know that wearing glasses can cause some problems when it comes to playing certain sports...especially cycling. Between transpiration - which will cause your glasses to slide down your nose - and shakes that will cause them to move, your glasses are likely to break every time you ride. Not to mention the fact that they'll struggle to fit under your helmet and give you a reduced field of view.

So if your cycling is just going to work or taking a few rides on the weekend, wearing glasses probably won't bother you. But for sports outings, you'll need to opt for sports glasses or cycling glasses specifically designed for that, which will also offer you a wider field of vision and perfect protection. Admittedly, the choice of models will probably be reduced, but you should find glasses to your nose without a problem thanks to two systems:

    • The bike glasses with optical correction;

    • The bike glasses with optical insert.

This way, your eyes will be perfectly protected by goggles with your sight and you'll be able to adopt the perfect cycling look. As with any pair of cycling glasses, this means you can choose photochromic lenses (which automatically adjust to the level of light and thus help reduce eye strain) or for a frame with a specific tint. Some models of glasses even offer the possibility of using interchangeable lenses to be adapted according to the brightness of the day.
Optical inserts often allow you to get equipped at a lower cost since, in case of a change of vision, only the lenses of the insert will be changed and it will cost you less.

In case of rain, wearing glasses can be problematic on the bike. One solution is to wear a cycling cap under your helmet (or a helmet with a visor). This should protect the lenses of your glasses from raindrops to give you a clear view. For cloudy or rainy weather, it's best to opt for clear or slightly tinted lenses for better visibility.

At the end of the day, should you prefer glasses or contacts for cycling?

As we just saw, the choice between wearing glasses or contact lenses for cycling is going to depend largely on your preference but also on your practice. If you are used to contact lenses and they do not bother you, they will offer you greater freedom since you will have no constraints, including when choosing a model of cycling glasses. But, if not, opting for a pair of cycling glasses with corrective lenses or an optical insert will be just as convenient.

Now that you have been able to make your choice between glasses or contact lenses for cycling, how about finding out which eyeglasses to choose for cycling?

EKOI SPORT OPTICAL
Customise your glasses with corrective lenses adapted to your vision

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