Discussion: Eye protection

Any recommendations for eye protection while orienteering? I'm a very warm runner and my primary concern is that the don't fog up when (not if) I slow down to read the map.

Other than orienteering in open moor land or treeless sand dunes or badlands?

I found at a dollar store some reading glasses that let me see above and below them (they're narrow in the vertical dimension), thus allowing me to see my footing as well as the distance normally, and the map at magnification for my aging eyes. Something like that might serve to protect the eyes from stuff coming straight at them, while still allowing plenty of airflow around them. I'm not sure they'd give a hundred percent protection, though.

After a very, very near miss in the woods, and a scratched cornea in the locker room (doh!), I realized how much I cherish my eyes, and how often I was having close calls.

I now wear cheap HomeDepot safety glasses (~$10/pair), and occasionally use Cat Crap on them, with fairly good results. All bets are off in the mid-summer humidity here in the Mid-Atlantic, tho.

There are also 'better' safety glasses that are supposedly anti-fog ... not sure if they're worth double or triple the price, tho. I suppose they might be, if they actually work.

I use some cheap safety glasses for MTBO but they only fog up at speed (due to heat being generated by my body) rather then the reverse.

Today I learned that in the Southern Hemisphere fogging happens in the reverse, just like toilet bowls spinning the wrong way and compasses that point south.

I also find the dollar store variety of magnifiers provide some help. For me except when the weather is cool and I am hot fogging is not much of a problem and anti-for sprays can control thatr but sweat dripping off my forehead was a big problem. A sweat band only helped slow down the problem until it became saturated (about 2-3 km in to a race). However a sweat band with the front made of plastic and shaped like a roof trough is a big help. It is called a sweat trough. It channels the sweat to run down my temple area instead of the forehead.

Yeah I notice that too, Hungry. The fog develops on the specs during the course and if the end doesn't come soon enough moves into the head.

My toilet bowl doesn't spin. That'd make it mightily uncomfortable if you pressed the button before you'd finished.

Having worn glasses since I was about 11 (and therefore for the whole time I've been orienteering), I've found that to prevent fogging, it's helpful to have airflow on both side of the lenses. Since I can read the map without the glasses, I have glasses that sit high on my nose, that I can look under, and thatair can flow under. So if you're looking for just eye protection, I'd suggest getting a cheap pair of safety glasses at the hardware store, and cutting off the bottoms of the lenses. For the kind of hazards that are likely to be encountered when orienteering, they'll still probably provide most of the protection that you'd want. t's a cheap experiment to try on a training run.

Cristina, these should not fog up
http://www.globalsources.com/gsol/I/Shutter-shade/...

I use safety glasses with a product called Anti Fog by the makers of Rain X. Also, toothpaste will work as an anti fog on your glasses.

Jagge, those look great, and with a minimum order of "200 Dozens" I could even start a side business reselling them to other orienteers.

Note also the version with red led lights. You'll sell those like hotcakes at Night Hawk!

Huh, shutter shades. That never occurred to me, but if you're just looking for non-fog eye protection, that's a fascinating idea. You'd obviously have to see if they interfere with your vision too much, but I think I've worn them once or twice and they're a lot less visible than you'd expect. No need to buy hundreds, you can get them at the party store (or ebay) for a few bucks.

As someone who has scratched my cornea twice while orienteering - both times while wearing glasses - I'd be skeptical of using the shutter shades. When a branch does get through a slit or between your glasses and your face, it doesn't brush away, it pokes you in the eye!

I recently got a pair of prescription sport bifocals. Still working on the fogging problem, though. On the wet day at WMOC, I spent a lot of time with them on my forehead instead of over my eyes.

If you're willing to drop a little more coin, athletic glasses will fit the bill, especially those with interchangeable lenses (as you can switch to light or clear lenses if you're going to be in a lot of shade). I'm partial to the Smith Pivlock series, as they provide good coverage, fit securely while running, come with three colors of lens by default, and you can often find old models on sale for a good price. They are pretty good about not fogging, but I've yet to meet a pair of glasses that won't fog a little if you come to a stop on a warm run on a cool humid day. That's probably where the treatments others have mentioned would have to come in. I use baby shampoo on my swim goggles—I wonder if that would work on glasses?

I have glasses with interchangeable lenses and gave permanent anti-fog treatment with dremel tools to a pair of lenses with magnification square. I added some padding too to make the position of lenses just right and to get more airflow.

I've used glasses similar to what Jagge posted that the military gave me and they seemed to work ok. Had prescription inserts. They usually wouldn't fog up much and the times they did I just took them off. After taking a thorn to the eyeball at NAOC 2016 I've been thinking about going back to wearing them. Will be interested in additional suggestions posted here that works for people.