Cycling and contact lenses

[Le breton]

acuity and dioptr.

I was wondering if there are many of you who wear contact lenses while riding. I have moderate myopia (Although having -9 and -8 in each eye but it's referred to as moderate myopia according to my ophtalmologist) ...........

Since you live in France where your degree of myopia is often given in 1/10ths, and since you mentioned moderate myopia, I was wondering if there might not be a confusion between visual acuity and the degree of myopia in dioptries.(see below).

In my own case, with -2 and -2.5 dioptr., I always preferred to race without glasses, the only problem I found was not always making out who was in the breakaway. In fact, the rule below somehow didn't apply in my case because, depending on how well rested I was I always managed between 6/10 and 9/10 in terms of acuity, don't ask me how I managed it, I don't know.

Nowadays I wear correction devices inside my biking glasses, works fine, but limits the field of view. I chose to have half the correction in one eye (-1.25 dipotr., and full correction in the other, to be able to read the display in poor light and still see the mountains better than without correction.

Anyway, in my case i find that having moderate myopia is a pain only in poorly lit places, not when biking in the sun.

Il existe une relation approximative entre les dioptries et l'acuité visuelle au loin du myope sans correction, on l'appelle la Règle de Swaine, elle s'applique pour les myopies comprises entre -0.50 et -2.50 dioptries.

- 0.50 d : 1/2 soit 5/10
- 0.75 d : 1/3 soit 3/10
- 1.00 d : 1/4
- 1.25 d : 1/5 soit 2/10
- 1.50 d : 1/6
- 1.75 d : 1/7
- 2.00 d : 1/8
- 2.25 d : 1/9
- 2.50 d : 1/10

 

[usedtobefast]

ok i will weigh in. i started with the old hard lenses when i was 14. no issues, except dust, like all lenses. i have been on gas permeable for a long time and they work great. since i am not a young guy, my lenses are bifocal. one is for close up. one is for distance. seemed like a weird idea, but i tried it and it works fine. i only wear my contacts for riding these days. my 2-1/2 cents.

 

[Martin318is]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've been told by many others who've undergone this procedure how simple it is. I'm actually planning to do it this year. And apparently, there are no known or reported long-term side effects.

Please take the time to research the procedure properly because that claim of no known side effects is not true. Two of the more worrying possible issues are dry eyes (requiring artificial tears several times a day - permanently) and the risk that if the correction fails, the resulting vision may be non-correctable.

I'm certainly not saying don't do it - I'm just saying that if you find a surgeon that claims the operation is totally risk free then you need to move on and find a better surgeon. A good one will take a lot of time to explain to you all the facets of the decision before you make it and not just take your money in silence.

 

[Martin318is]

On the actual original topic however:

I am mildly myopic with astigmatism. I wear glasses at all times other than skiing or serious cycling (either a race or a big ride) where I will instead wear disposable contacts.

On the weekend I did a 4 hour ride and from about 90mins in I was forced to blink continuously because the left lens felt like it had dried out. The same thing happened in a race last April but in that case the lens flew out of my left eye on an 80kph descent. I use sunglasses, it just seems to happen.

Also have once noticed it once skiing and in that case I always have large high quality goggles on. All other times skiing there has been no issue.

I tend to think it has to do with how tired I am at the time I put them on - and therefore how tired and potentially dry the eyes are. Am going to experiment with adding eye drops well before adding the contacts and see if that helps.

Also add me to the list considering surgery. My wife had it about 10 years ago apparently and just walked out into the street with perfect eyesight 30mins later. A friend however had surgery 5 years ago and was drugged up and confused for about 4 days. Took another 2 weeks for his eyesight to stabilise.

 

[Le breton]

On the actual original topic however:

I am mildly myopic with astigmatism... .

I consider myself mildly myopic (-2, -2.5 diopters) and it really is an advantage in a way : I remember my father finding at my current ripe age that his arms were too short for him to read the newspaper comfortably, while I am here sitting at the keyboard reading the screen (or the keyboard - 50 cm away) without any problem and still able to do most things without glasses. ( on sunny days I occasionnally remove my glasses when driving as well).

( I need cyclindrical correction in one eye if I want perfect vision)

If I had had surgery I would now be needing to wear glasses far more often.

 

[nobilis]

Since you live in France where your degree of myopia is often given in 1/10ths, and since you mentioned moderate myopia, I was wondering if there might not be a confusion between visual acuity and the degree of myopia in dioptries.(see below).

In my own case, with -2 and -2.5 dioptr., I always preferred to race without glasses, the only problem I found was not always making out who was in the breakaway. In fact, the rule below somehow didn't apply in my case because, depending on how well rested I was I always managed between 6/10 and 9/10 in terms of acuity, don't ask me how I managed it, I don't know.

Nowadays I wear correction devices inside my biking glasses, works fine, but limits the field of view. I chose to have half the correction in one eye (-1.25 dipotr., and full correction in the other, to be able to read the display in poor light and still see the mountains better than without correction.

Anyway, in my case i find that having moderate myopia is a pain only in poorly lit places, not when biking in the sun.

Il existe une relation approximative entre les dioptries et l'acuité visuelle au loin du myope sans correction, on l'appelle la Règle de Swaine, elle s'applique pour les myopies comprises entre -0.50 et -2.50 dioptries.

- 0.50 d : 1/2 soit 5/10
- 0.75 d : 1/3 soit 3/10
- 1.00 d : 1/4
- 1.25 d : 1/5 soit 2/10
- 1.50 d : 1/6
- 1.75 d : 1/7
- 2.00 d : 1/8
- 2.25 d : 1/9
- 2.50 d : 1/10

I've never done an eye check-up in France so i'm not very familiar with 1/10th system.

In my case, with -8 / -9.5, i can't not only not ride, but also not be operational at all.

 

[nobilis]

I consider myself mildly myopic (-2, -2.5 diopters) and it really is an advantage in a way : I remember my father finding at my current ripe age that his arms were too short for him to read the newspaper comfortably, while I am here sitting at the keyboard reading the screen (or the keyboard - 50 cm away) without any problem and still able to do most things without glasses. ( on sunny days I occasionnally remove my glasses when driving as well).

( I need cyclindrical correction in one eye if I want perfect vision)

If I had had surgery I would now be needing to wear glasses far more often.

Yeah this is the thing that might not encourage me to do the operation is that myopia can prevent presbyopia or at least delay it.

 

[Le breton]

Yeah this is the thing that might not encourage me to do the operation is that myopia can prevent presbyopia or at least delay it.

It does not really prevent or delay presbyopia, it just mitigates its effects. In other words, if I wear my glasses for myopia, I can only see clearly beyond 50 or 60 cm like most people my age (depends a lot on the lighting)

 

[nobilis]

Please take the time to research the procedure properly because that claim of no known side effects is not true. Two of the more worrying possible issues are dry eyes (requiring artificial tears several times a day - permanently) and the risk that if the correction fails, the resulting vision may be non-correctable.

I'm certainly not saying don't do it - I'm just saying that if you find a surgeon that claims the operation is totally risk free then you need to move on and find a better surgeon. A good one will take a lot of time to explain to you all the facets of the decision before you make it and not just take your money in silence.

Well, thee is a surgeon who told me that even if after the Lasik, another correction can be done in case of recurring myopia. This what made me hesitate. I felt the whole thing was commercial.

 

[qdbikeman]

In the past I regularly had contacts dry out while cycling and when I blinked they would fold and pop out of my eye. If I was lucky the contact would stick to my sunglasses. If not, I was cycling home half blind. I also had problems while cross country skiing. I tried a variety of sunglasses with limited success. The solution was to switch to a different brand of contacts. I was using Mediflex Ocufilcon D torics but now I'm using Bausch & Lomb Toric (balafilcon A). Note that these are specifically for astigmatism.

I don't know if it's the fit or the material of the lens, but the new ones completely solved the problem. Talk to your doctor and see if he has any suggestions. Sometimes they have samples that you can try.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Just saw this post. I have been wearing contacts for a LONG time...Started with the old hard ones, wore gas perms for a hugely amount and last year switched to soft ....B & L Accuvue. I have also ridden for most of my life and never really had probs except I ALWAYS have worn sunglasses, or on gray days wear orange lenses. I hydrate a lot, and have started carrying a little ampule of eye drops just in case ....
My eyes are truly nearsighted, but am not a great candidate for lasik, although I have heard that if the correction via surgery is not total or changes, that sometimes you can't go back to wearing contacts. Not sure on that one.
Anyway, I can't imagine riding without sunglasses for wind pro, or skiing, running etc anything similar. The sun and wind really take a toll on your eyes and can dry them out.
good luck and cheers

 

[Hmmmmm]

I have very bad eye sight and must wear glasses or contact lenses whenever I ride. I have worn soft contact lenses off and on for over 20 years, both daily and extended wear, and never had a problem while riding. I even take my sunglasses off at times when riding if the weather is bad as I can not stand water spots on my sunglasses and never once had a problem with my contacts. Funny thing is when I wear eyeglasses they are usually covered in sweat when I get home but that does not bother me.

 

[kelvedon wonder]

I'm -7, and I know that my eyes would just dry out if I wore lenses. I have seen prescription cycling glasses in the cycling mags. I imagine they'd be quite useful. I did enquire about getting some funky ones, but with my prescription I was told the lenses would be too thick.

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

I just don't wear them anymore. In a race, if you can't see what people are doing, it means that you're too far behind, and your race is over anyway. Otherwise, when I'm out training, when I see a big blob overtaking me at 50 mph, I just assume it's a car.

 

[fishtacos]

I've been wearing contacts for 20 years while cycling, surfing and windsurfing. In my experience, I've found that the thinner the lens, the better for staying put. I used to occasionally lose one of the old-school thick and expensive lens, but I switched to disposables and thinner lenses many years ago.

For a long time I used B&L Soflens (polymacon), and recently switched to Coopervision Avaira (enfilcon A); they both work very well for me with or without sunglasses. I've even opened my eyes underwater while getting worked surfing and not lost a lens (not that I would recommend it...).

Usually I do ride with sunglasses, but I never windsurf with them, and the speeds are similar to cycling (20-35mph on average) and with the added fun of water spraying in your face at that velocity. I've never had one be knocked out since switching to the thinner lenses.

 

[ChrisRaidan]

**edited by mod (spambot)**