Prescription driving sunglasses

[whitenemesis]

Wow that is eye dedication right there....! My thinking would be free ****ty boots glasses and a 77mm pulley and remap:bannana:

LOL ...I wear my glasses every day all day, so want comfort and the best performing lenses. Hopefully these will last me another few years, so cost little in real terms. The Airlock and Ray-ban frames so light (titanium). The Ray-ban replaced my old Serengeti sunglasses must admit the lens coatings aren't a patch on the Serengeti Drivers though.

 

[zipdip]

Have a look at Specsavers online and see all the frames they have some great sunglasses and designer frames,they are crazy cheap with the full eye checkup.but of course it is a matter of choice

 

[st13phil]

So in theory could I buy the frames I like then with my prescription get them made up in say normal glasses and sunglasses ?

Yes, you can choose whatever frame(s) you wish and have them glazed with normal clear lenses or with dark tinted lenses.

 

[Dryce]

As has already been mentioned, if you need glasses for driving you will need clear ones primarily.

I find I never like to use my sunglasses in a roof'ed car. The windscreen tinting is usuially enough for me.

But I find they're essential when driving a convertible.

I'm in two minds about the photochromic/reactive coatings. Though they do seem to have improved in the last 10 years.I've gone back to using them again.

With varifocals my inclination is to use exactly the same frames for both normal and sunglasses. I find switching to a different shaped frame with varifocals changes the effect on my peripheral vision. Using the same frame keeps things consistent.

 

[whitenemesis]

Takes me a couple of seconds to acclimatise when switching glasses but then I've never experienced the swimming sensation many varifocal users do.

 

[vannus]

Really depends on what you are looking for. I have a pair of prescription polarised sunglasses which are superb and reasonably priced. I also have oakley prescription sunglasses and if you go for oakley lenses these alone set you back around £200 before you add cost of the frames.Its all a personal choice on what you like and what you wish to spend. So enjoy pulling your hair out at the huge choice out there , i know i did.

 

[BTB 500]

Have a look at Specsavers online and see all the frames they have some great sunglasses and designer frames,they are crazy cheap with the full eye checkup.but of course it is a matter of choice

Yes all mine are designer ones from Specsavers (both clear and tinted lenses). You get to choose the colour and degree of tint on the lenses that way, too.

They are obviously a big chain and things may depend a bit on your local branch but I've never had any issues with them at all. My last two checkups have been free via vouchers sent in the post.

 

[brucemillar]

OKAY. Enough already...

Here is what to do. Look at the ads on-line, in the papers etc. There you will find that Prescription sunglasses are FREE !! Yes you heard....FREE.

Armed with the ad for the FREE prescription sunglasses head into town and into the FREE sunglasses shop. There you will be delighted to find that FREE comes with more get out clauses than Mercedes corrosion warranty.

Once you have paid £200+ for your FREE sunglasses and some reading glasses that you didn't need, along with some John Lennon frames that don't suit you, head home feeling good and poorer.

I have some FREE prescription Varifocal sunglasses that cost me about £375. All I had to do, to get my FREE ones, was buy to some other varifocal glasses. These were not free but the assistant assured me that I am now irresistible to the opposite sex. Sadly I wasn't able to confirm this in-store due to being almost entirely blinded by my new purchase.

As mentioned previously. You can get (special order) lenses that darken in the car or behind glass. I believe that these can be purchased for around the same price as a Russian Oligarchs super-yacht or a one year running budget for an F1 team.

 

[GLK]

I wear varifocal sunglasses when driving - difficult reading the cluster/radio/satnav etc. otherwise.

I have some FREE prescription Varifocal sunglasses that cost me about £375.

Yup, same here - I have prescription varifocals with, if I rememeber correctly, all the boxes ticked, apart from darkening - these are excellent and work perfectly well in the most ferocious sunshine (as in the Caribbean), as well as at night - I never take them off, when I'm in the car.

The cost was about £380, and these are certainly not a fashion statement, just a functional tool, although it was some brand name, don't remember which:

the pic was taken, when I retrofitted the electrochromic mirror, the glasses there accidentally

As for everyday sunglasses, I only have two - RayBan 3179 and Montblanc 135

Incidentally, if anyone is looking for a replacement authentic RayBan temple tips, I can recommend a great chap (ophthalmologist) from Cyprus, very keen prices (less than direct from Luxottica) and very fast delivery. Just got myself a pair of brand new black rubber tips - very happy, and not a bad going, considering the original plastic ones lasted 13 years:

 

[DrNick]

Cheap Glasses : Incl £10 specs & free eye test
Despite Mr Millars comments about his "free" glasses, its entirely possible to achieve the headline prices shown. In line with Mr Millars thesis, there are traps for the unwary (or desirable options worth the extra, depending on your viewpoint!)

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I just found my receipt for my driving glasses which darken in the car - £129 in genuine Rayban frames (bear in mind that genuine Rayban are not what they were but now made in China). Seems reasonable to me.

If I leave them on the dashboard in full sun they go very dark indeed.

 

[Peter T]

I you're borderline needing glasses for driving does this imply that you're short sighted?

If so, IMHO and in my experience, tinted prescription lenses are not a great idea. Short sighted correction requires a negative lens, which is thinner in the centre and thicker at the edges, This means you get little or no tint in the centre, which you use most of the time, and more tint at the edges.

When I tried them I didn't get on with them because of this.

Also, have you considered contact lenses. Modern daily disposable ones are very easy to get used to, there's no fuss with cleaning etc, and you can use any style of proper sunglasses you choose!

 

[brucemillar]

Billy Connolly had the perfect solution. Prescription Windscreens. Warning you may have to change your pants during this broadcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwFcGXpMmYw

 

[DrNick]

As did Zaphod Beeblebrox
Sunglasses that turn black at the sight of danger, to avoid stressing the user.

 

[BTB 500]

I you're borderline needing glasses for driving does this imply that you're short sighted?

If so, IMHO and in my experience, tinted prescription lenses are not a great idea. Short sighted correction requires a negative lens, which is thinner in the centre and thicker at the edges, This means you get little or no tint in the centre, which you use most of the time, and more tint at the edges.

I'm pretty short-sighted (-5.50 / -4.25) and have never had that problem. AFAIK the tint is normally a coating applied to the surface of the lens ... so the thickness of clear material behind it doesn't really matter. I can see it would potentially be an issue with photochromic lenses though.

Also, have you considered contact lenses. Modern daily disposable ones are very easy to get used to, there's no fuss with cleaning etc, and you can use any style of proper sunglasses you choose!

I use daily disposables on occasion (having regularly worn normal soft lenses in the past), and don't really get on with them when driving. I think the aircon creates a dry atmosphere, and maybe I don't blink as often as normal. But certainly my eyes get dry and uncomfortable when in the car for any length of time. Also of course I now can't read the cluster etc. clearly with standard 'distance' contact lenses in.

But I guess plenty of people do drive in them with no issues at all, and as you say you can use normal sunglasses.

 

[Peter T]

I'm pretty short-sighted (-5.50 / -4.25) and have never had that problem. AFAIK the tint is normally a coating applied to the surface of the lens ... so the thickness of clear material behind it doesn't really matter. I can see it would potentially be an issue with photochromic lenses though.

I use daily disposables on occasion (having regularly worn normal soft lenses in the past), and don't really get on with them when driving. I think the aircon creates a dry atmosphere, and maybe I don't blink as often as normal. But certainly my eyes get dry and uncomfortable when in the car for any length of time. Also of course I now can't read the cluster etc. clearly with standard 'distance' contact lenses in.

But I guess plenty of people do drive in them with no issues at all, and as you say you can use normal sunglasses.

Maybe it was the Rayban lenses I got!

I wore contacts for many years and never had a problem driving. Lately I've given up on them because my prescription now doesn't suit them.

 

[Dogbreath]

Update...
Well I need glasses... I'm a bit short sighted apparently! So need them to drive. Ended up going to local Asda opticians and I bought 2 pair. Henry Lloyd sunglasses and normal glasses. Quite light and comfortable. £159 all in. Never worn them before so will see how I get on before I get some super cool Dame Edna style glasses
Thanks for everyone's input
Cheers
Lee

 

[Rosso1]

I wear proscription glasses or lenses. When wearing sunglasses i could only wear my lenses, so decided i needed to get a prescription pair of sunglasses. As i always been impressed with Maui Jim sun glasses I decided to buy these in proscription sunglasses and although they are not cheap they are worth the investment.
The frames have a good warranty too.
I use to wear Raybans or Oakley glasses before moving to Maui Jim.

 

[Dogbreath]

I have always used Oakleys as my normal sunglasses so if I can get used to wearing these prescription ones il probably buy some Oakley frames and get them made up