Just had an eye exam and I'm considering bifocal contact lenses. Still waiting for the 'sample' lenses to see if they're even gonna work for me. I currently have one contact for 'mono-vision' designed for distant and close up. Works *ok* but not as well as I expect using a contract on each eye. My normal glasses I wear are way too small for real eye protection. I do not want transition lenses. I'm wanting to get either the foam backed frames that can be purchased at the bike store or elsewhere OR the foam backed frames that have the elastic head band. I'm leaning toward the latter as the headband will serve as a hat or dew rag holder - since I have trouble with that since the shorter wind shield.

Any thoughts from those who wear contacts and specifically bifocal ones?

THANKS TO ALL YOU VETS FOR YOUR SERVICE. MUCH APPRECIATED.

Dale

 

Whatever route you take I wish you the best of luck and wish I could still wear contacts but at an advanced age that they irritate my eyes.

 

Well of course I have no idea what you mean by "advanced age" but I'll turn 65 in just about a month and I've been very fortunate that I have not needed bifocal vision. All I simply need to do when doing up-close stuff or reading is remove the glasses which are to correct for near sightedness. I've usually worn glasses that have a pretty small lens so that I can simply look under the lens to see up close.

Not sure these new contract lenses are going to be for me as I've been told by someone other than my Dr. that they will run me about $500/year bc they are a 30 day disposable. If that's the case, I'll likely look at getting a Rx motorsports specific foam framed pair for riding. Here again, I'm up against the issue of needing corrective lenses for daytime AND (periodic) dark time riding so I'll need something clear.

Dale

 

I use contacts everyday, and have for years. I also do the mono vision. One contact set for far and one set for closer up. I switched to bi-focal contacts because I wasn't able to see up close as well as I wanted to. I went through many variations of the bi-focal contacts trying to get the correct ones. I probably went 2 months trying different variations. Long story short, I ended up going back to the mono vision. I just use reader glasses when I need to see close up. Much more satisfied with the mono vision when riding my bike.

Take that for what it's worth.

 

FWIW-I can’t speak to contacts because my eyes are too sensitive for wearing them.

But I do have Oakley dark curved, line less, progressive prescription sunglasses for sunny days, yellow tinged & clear prescription Liberty frames for rainy days & night riding. The Liberty have the removable foam inserts.
I will say that the Oakley lens quality is superb. And being a pro photographer, I say that with enthusiasm!

 

Thanks for your story on the bifocal contacts vs mono vision version. I suspect I'll be trying different ones for a time as well. I'm simply wanting to wear contacts so I can wear non-Rx sunglasses and evening riding (lighter lens) glasses. I may find that's not a good option for me.

Dale

 

I couldn't do the mono vision. I tried the transitional lens bifocals I bought at of all places Walmart. I just took my dr scrip in. I didn't have high expectations but they are on their 3rd season now.

When I need updates I will look at along the lines of panoptic or Wiley's.

 

I went online (sorry can't find the receipt for the vendor name) and ordered a pair of sunglasses just for my motorcycle. They were like $450 with all the options I added, but I can't/won't wear contacts...

I got a pair of 7eye/Panoptix sunglasses with the foam eye cups. The online place got my prescription and made the lenses for the frames I picked. They offer both bifocals and transitional lenses. I decided, based on my prescription, to get just the far vision, single vision lenses. I also got them with day/night lenses....

I keep them with my bike, and can wear them day or night.... The single vision lens is good enough for me when riding, seeing street signs, and my gauges... I just can't read a book with them...

 

I wear bifocal glasses, so I got some Scott Over The Glasses Goggles to use over my smallish oval sized glasses.
I also have a pair of prescription medium sized Sunglasses that I use also. I used a 3/4 open face Helmet, with a 8
inch recurved windshield on my Street Glide, that works well for me.

John

 

I used the bifocal contacts for a while. They're not disposable. They're expensive. A little more tricky to wear. They can get "lost" up in your conjunctival pocket above your eyeball and it's kinda a pain to retrieve them (I had to have my wife or somebody else help me dig them out). But once you're used to them they work okay. But just okay. I'm back to mono vision contacts now, single-day disposables. I wear them about half the time and progressive bifocal glasses about half the time. I do great with mono vision contacts during the day, especially at distance (ie, riding, driving, etc). But once the sun starts going down, if I'm in contacts, they're coming off so I can switch to glasses.

Basically, bifocal contacts are a pain to use, expensive, and work okay. Monovision works okay also, but are not great close up, and not good driving at night; they're easy to use. Glasses of course will give you better acuity than any contact option.