Discussion: Rx sports glasses with progressive lenses

I just got some good prescription sports glasses that work with my -8 bifocal rx, after much hunting. They should be good for biking, and I'm hoping good for map reading when running.

http://www.ar.attackpoint.org/viewlog.jsp/user_921...

Progress report- so far so good. I can read with them, and see distance. Not sure what will happen in wet conditions if they fog or freeze up. My eyes are a lot more comfortable than with contacts too.

I'm glad I finally found a solution for high rx sport glasses- I had such a run-around with local labs and was getting nowhere.

Did you need a prescription for the extra-large bifocal (as opposed to just the regular reading bifocal)? My last optician did the extra with just an estimate.

'Bent is offline for awhile to atone for his sins (Yom Kippur starts shortly) but he'll be back here eventually.

The glasses he got were designed for cycling, not for map reading. Cyclists' needs are similar though. They need to be able to read their bike computer while they're hunched up in aero position, and they need to be able to see close-up to make minor adjustments or fix a flat tire. Here is the article I originally saw on triathlon coach Joe Friel's log about them.
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2013/06/aging-my-eyes...

So far 'Bent has used the photochromic lenses at night and in moderate light. He's not sure yet how dark they'll get in bright sunlight.

The lenses are progressive so the reading area isn't as obvious as in a regular bifocal.

Btw he isn't sponsored or getting commission or anything like that. He's just enthusiastic because he's had a lot of trouble with his poor vision when doing sports!

The problem I've had with progressive lenses, with the "near" Rx at the bottom of the lens, is that I stumbled a lot when running off-trail in the woods. I don't think I was consciously aware of it, but I was not seeing small round twigs, projecting roots, and various pinecones very well...until I tripped on them and sprained an ankle or went sprawling. The reason: everything up to 10' in front of me was blurred slightly by the "near" Rx.

I'm not sure you'd be conscious of this handicap since the progressive nature of the lens isn't well defined. But if you find yourself tripping more, bifocals may be the reason.

What I did was, in succession (1) tried tipping my head forward more when running on uncertain ground so that the "far" Rx was brought to bear on the ground in front of me, (2) switch to an old-fashioned sharply-defined set of lenses so that the out-of-focus area was more predictable, (3) buy a pair of O glasses with only the "far" Rx, and use a second set of reading glasses perched on the end of my nose to re-correct for map reading, and (4) developed better map-memory and actually stopped running, took a good long look and memorized a couple hundred meters' run, before I had to stop again.

So far running on trail is fine. These glasses have inclinable arms, so you can tip them forward or back at certain times.

I'll have to see how they are for running in terrain while reading a map. At least I will be able to read the map!

They have been fine for mountain biking on trails so far as well.

Thanks for the info, 'Bent. Every now and then, I toy with the idea of getting sports glasses, and I have a high prescription and progressive lenses, so it's good to know there's a good place to get them.