# Windy eye problems!



## sarahale (12 Aug 2016)

Does anyone else suffer bloodshot eyes and pain caused by the wind or sun? 

Mine have been terribly bloodshot, sore and weepy and my doctor has told me I need to invest in shades and cycling glasses to protect my eyes. 

Anyone else suffer and got any tips or recommendations for best value cycling glasses? Thanks


----------



## Nibor (12 Aug 2016)

best value cycling glasses are industrial safety glasses you can get them clear and tinted for very little money they are designed to protect from industrial stuff too so will handle any stray stones flies etc with ease
http://www.screwfix.com/c/safety-wo...anagedredirect-_-safetyworkwear-_-safetyspecs


----------



## mjr (12 Aug 2016)

Yep, safety glasses or large "cowboy" specs. It's not a style that grew up for no reason.


----------



## Katherine (12 Aug 2016)

My eyes absolutely stream without wrap around glasses. I wear Endura yellow anti fog ones in the dark / rain/ poor light that help to stop the glare from car lights etc, and darker brown ones in bright light which stop me from squinting. They've stopped lots of flying insects from going into my eyes as well as the odd stone chip. 
You'll have to try different types to find which ones are comfortable but Aldi do quite comfortable ones for £1.99 when they do their cycling special buys.


----------



## sarahale (12 Aug 2016)

Thank-you for both the suggestions, I hate wearing glasses or shades of any sort so it's going to take some getting used to but can't carry on with my eyes being this sore!


----------



## ColinJ (12 Aug 2016)

It isn't just to keep the wind out ... A mate of mine had forgotten his cycling glasses and was descending at speed when he was hit in one eye by a large bluebottle. He somehow managed to do an emergency stop without crashing but his eye was a right mess. I had to lever his eyelid open to rinse out bluebottle mush. The eye was completely bloodshot. He looked like he had done 5 rounds with a bare knuckle boxer!

I had my glasses cracked by a stone chipping thrown up by a speeding car which overtook me on a newly resurfaced stretch of road.

I have had bees and wasps bounce harmlessly off my cycling glasses. I wouldn't have wanted them in my eyes!


----------



## mjr (12 Aug 2016)

ColinJ said:


> I have had bees and wasps bounce harmlessly off my cycling glasses. I wouldn't have wanted them in my eyes!


Yeah, but from my younger pre-spectacle days, I know I used to manage to close my eyes before most stuff got in them. Still stung, but it's pretty rare that something aligns so perfectly that it gets in without triggering the closure reaction. I wear goggles most of the time because the wind rush around the currently-fashionable small lenses dries my eyelids out.


----------



## vickster (12 Aug 2016)

I need them to see!


----------



## keithmac (12 Aug 2016)

I look like I'm crying some mornings on the way to work..


----------



## ColinJ (12 Aug 2016)

keithmac said:


> I look like I'm crying some mornings on the way to work..


You need to change your job!


----------



## Dan's Owd Man (12 Aug 2016)

When i first started riding a Recumbent i got very sore and blood shot eyes,i think caused by wind blowing under my normal specs.
Also being low down near to the front wheels/wheel i picked up dust / grit from the road.
I purchased some sky diving wrap around goggles and i have not had a problem since.
http://www.specs4sports.co.uk/sorz-skydiving-goggles-20-c.asp
Richard


----------



## mjr (12 Aug 2016)

Owd Man said:


> I purchased some sky diving wrap around goggles and i have not had a problem since.
> http://www.specs4sports.co.uk/sorz-skydiving-goggles-20-c.asp


Do they fit over specs OK then? And do you know if the blue mirror is a blue tint or just a mirror effect?

I've tried a few things that look better than my safety goggles but they've all had drawbacks so far. I'd like to go back to the mirror wraparounds I used to use, but most things don't fit over glasses and I'm reluctant to get a prescription set made and be swapping between two sets of lenses with all the problems they cause me...


----------



## jonny jeez (12 Aug 2016)

sarahale said:


> Does anyone else suffer bloodshot eyes and pain caused by the wind or sun?
> 
> Mine have been terribly bloodshot, sore and weepy and my doctor has told me I need to invest in shades and cycling glasses to protect my eyes.
> 
> Anyone else suffer and got any tips or recommendations for best value cycling glasses? Thanks


wait...you don't cycle with glasses?

WHY ever not?


----------



## jonny jeez (12 Aug 2016)

sarahale said:


> Thank-you for both the suggestions, I hate wearing glasses or shades of any sort so it's going to take some getting used to but can't carry on with my eyes being this sore!


You really must. My eyes are the thing I worry most about protecting when I ride.


----------



## mjr (12 Aug 2016)

jonny jeez said:


> wait...you don't cycle with glasses?
> 
> WHY ever not?


At a guess, because it's special kit that relatively few people need for cycling, so why olympicate things?


----------



## jonny jeez (12 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> At a guess, because it's special kit that relatively few people need for cycling, so why olympicate things?


Props for using Olympicate...I thought we were going with X-ify?

I assume we are not talking about prescription glasses here?


----------



## CanucksTraveller (12 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> At a guess, because it's special kit that relatively few people need for cycling, so why olympicate things?



Because it costs literally about 4 quid for Bolle safety glasses, and your eyesight is worth significantly more than this. 4 quid safety glasses are hardly special kit, or remotely Olympic, but they are sensible.


----------



## Dan's Owd Man (12 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> Do they fit over specs OK then? And do you know if the blue mirror is a blue tint or just a mirror effect?
> 
> I am fairly certain that you could not get a pair of glasses under them as they are wrap around,close fitting.
> I use a set of black for the sun and a pair of orange to brighten up a rainy day,i have not tried the blue mirror so i can not say.
> Richard


----------



## mjr (12 Aug 2016)

CanucksTraveller said:


> Because it costs literally about 4 quid for Bolle safety glasses, and your eyesight is worth significantly more than this. 4 quid safety glasses are hardly special kit, or remotely Olympic, but they are sensible.


But it's not about purchase price (more the faff of obtaining, carrying, wearing and so on), Bolle lenses are lumpy, and your eyesight wasn't significantly at risk to begin with!

Yes, there's a small chance of a freak incident, but the main reason to wear them is comfort if you need them. If you can ride without messing about with extra glasses, why wouldn't you?


----------



## Accy cyclist (13 Aug 2016)

Like others have said, you need to protect your eyes from objects that can cause you serious harm, and it costs only a few quid to do so! If you get hit in the eye with an oncoming bumble bee it'll knock you for six! I've had them hit my glasses, they certainly sh!t you up when they hit you!


----------



## ColinJ (13 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> At a guess, because it's special kit that relatively few people need for cycling, so why olympicate things?


Because a bee/wasp/fly/stone/owt else hitting an eye at a closing speed of 100+ kph can seriously f**k up your eyesight! (And that isn't taking into account the crash which would often result.)

When the stone cracked my glasses, I had been wearing them from new for less than 30 minutes!

I nearly always wear safety glasses. (Incidentally, I found the same ones sold by Screwfix on eBay at half the price.) £2 to protect your sight seems like a very good deal to me. On the rare occasions that I have gone out without glasses on I have often suffered from watery eyes and impacts with flying beasties which serve as reminders not to do that again.


----------



## CanucksTraveller (13 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> But it's not about purchase price (more the faff of obtaining, carrying, wearing and so on), Bolle lenses are lumpy, and your eyesight wasn't significantly at risk to begin with!
> 
> Yes, there's a small chance of a freak incident, but the main reason to wear them is comfort if you need them. If you can ride without messing about with extra glasses, why wouldn't you?



Okay so price isn't the issue for you any more, now you've seen they're dirt cheap. Now it's the faff. But to order online is something like a one/two minute exercise, and usually they're here the next day, maybe the one after. Faff to carry? You wear them on your face, no need to carry them. Faff to wear? Again, you wear them on your face, not hard. They're not uncomfortable, and you don't notice them once on, so no faff there. 

Your other issue was Olympification (which I also have to give you cred for inventing!) They're not dear, and not particularly sexy. How are we Olympifying eye protection here? 

You say there's a small chance of a freak incident... you're right to an extent, but why wouldn't I want to eliminate that risk entirely? 
You also say the main reason to wear is comfort... I agree. Why would I want my eyes to be uncomfortable, red and streaming?


----------



## mjr (13 Aug 2016)

Bees do maybe 30kph, so that means ordinary cyclists do 70kph... if you're part of the minority doing that often, good luck to you and yes, maybe wear goggles for safety as well as comfort.


----------



## CanucksTraveller (13 Aug 2016)

That makes no sense based on the points we were debating here. I never mentioned bees and terminal velocity / closing speed for that matter, only general safety, risks and comfort overall. You raised cost and faff as barriers to those points, and we appear to have put those to bed. What's your thrust now?


----------



## T4tomo (13 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> Bees do maybe 30kph, so that means ordinary cyclists do 70kph... if you're part of the minority doing that often, good luck to you and yes, maybe wear goggles for safety as well as comfort.


It's just common sense to wear shades or glasses. Most people's eyes stream on descents, whether it's at 40kpm or 70kph. It's just a fact. I can't believe your arguing against wearing glasses/ shades when cycling, and that's without factoring the risk of bugs grit dust stones etc getting in your eyes.


----------



## mjr (13 Aug 2016)

CanucksTraveller said:


> Okay so price isn't the issue for you any more, now you've seen they're dirt cheap.


Price was never the issue for me and the low cost was mentioned right near the top of page one anyway.



CanucksTraveller said:


> Now it's the faff. But to order online is something like a one/two minute exercise, and usually they're here the next day, maybe the one after.


Without exception, every pair of goggles I've ordered online has been unwearable junk. I won't buy ones I can't check for defects any more.



CanucksTraveller said:


> Faff to carry? You wear them on your face, no need to carry them.


You must look awful odd at your destination. Do you really wear them all day at work, or while walking around shops?



CanucksTraveller said:


> Faff to wear? Again, you wear them on your face, not hard. They're not uncomfortable, and you don't notice them once on, so no faff there.


After a few hours, the pressure of the second set of arms is noticeable IMO.



CanucksTraveller said:


> Your other issue was Olympification (which I also have to give you cred for inventing!) They're not dear, and not particularly sexy. How are we Olympifying eye protection here?


No, you're Olympifying cycling (and I didn't invent that word).



CanucksTraveller said:


> You say there's a small chance of a freak incident... you're right to an extent, but why wouldn't I want to eliminate that risk entirely?


There's a small chance of a tree blocking the way. Why wouldn't you want to eliminate that risk entirely and cycle everywhere with a saw?



CanucksTraveller said:


> You also say the main reason to wear is comfort... I agree. Why would I want my eyes to be uncomfortable, red and streaming?


If you suffer from such things, as I do, it's a good idea, but plenty of people don't.


----------



## Pat "5mph" (13 Aug 2016)

I must have lost at least £50 worth of Aldi's cycling glasses through the years, I'm terrible for leaving glasses on top of panniers then setting off.
But it's a good idea to wear them if you can be bothered, indeed if your eyes are sore.
Here in Scotland I find the glasses mostly annoying, because it always rains then one can't see.


----------



## mjr (13 Aug 2016)

CanucksTraveller said:


> That makes no sense based on the points we were debating here. I never mentioned bees and terminal velocity / closing speed for that matter, ...


Try reading other people's posts. Sadly, you're not the only person asserting nonsense is "common sense" on this topic.


----------



## ColinJ (13 Aug 2016)

mjray said:


> Bees do maybe 30kph, so that means ordinary cyclists do 70kph... if you're part of the minority doing that often, good luck to you and yes, maybe wear goggles for safety as well as comfort.


I am an ordinary cyclist and like many ordinary cyclists round here I often hit 70-80 kph on rides. The descent in the photo is on one of my favourite loops and the only time I don't go faster than 70 kph is when a headwind slows me down ... I am sometimes overtaken by other cyclists going even faster down there. (I don't have a high enough gear to pedal. That speed is achieved just by freewheeling.)


----------



## vickster (13 Aug 2016)

Isn't the point here that the OP's eyes are suffering, she's been to the doctor and has been advised to wear glasses to protect her eyes from the elements? Not whether she may be dive bombed by an insect?

FWIW I now wear prescription transition Oakleys. An effective but admittedly expensive option. I just carry my normal specs in the pouch/case that came with the Oakleys


----------



## Levo-Lon (13 Aug 2016)

Son in law just got some Oakley wrap rounds..not cheap but he suffers with hey fever red eyes etc..
he has interchangeable lenses and as the saying goes ,he's as happy a a pig in poop with the oakley shades..wiggle had a good offer on so have a look ..
he often uses the orange colour lense and says everything seems clearer with them for mtb..no strobing etc from the sunlight in the trees..keeps the insects out too..


----------



## vickster (13 Aug 2016)

@sarahale if you want IMO slightly more attractive cycling glasses rather than safety glasses (although some of the Bolle ones aren't too bad), just see what your LBS has, Endura, Tifosi etc., with interchangeable lenses. Try and buy, rather than trying the eBay foakley lottery


----------



## Katherine (13 Aug 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> I must have lost at least £50 worth of Aldi's cycling glasses through the years, I'm terrible for leaving glasses on top of panniers then setting off.
> But it's a good idea to wear them if you can be bothered, indeed if your eyes are sore.
> Here in Scotland I find the glasses mostly annoying, because it always rains then one can't see.



Rains a lot here too, well maybe not quite as much as you get, that's why I recommend the yellow Endura anti fog glasses . I can still see really well with them when it's raining, even in the dark with car head lights coming towards you. Better than the clear ones imo.


----------



## T4tomo (13 Aug 2016)

vickster said:


> @sarahale if you want IMO slightly more attractive cycling glasses rather than safety glasses (although some of the Bolle ones aren't too bad), just see what your LBS has, Endura, Tifosi etc., with interchangeable lenses. Try and buy, rather than trying the eBay foakley lottery


Decathlon also do decent quality fir not too much £


----------



## Pat "5mph" (13 Aug 2016)

Katherine said:


> Rains a lot here too, well maybe not quite as much as you get, that's why I recommend the yellow Endura anti fog glasses . I can still see really well with them when it's raining, even in the dark with car head lights coming towards you. Better than the clear ones imo.


I'll look out for them on special offer!
Btw, today I got stung ... on my upper leg, the fatty bit, by a bee that got stuck in my clothing


----------



## srw (13 Aug 2016)

CanucksTraveller said:


> Your other issue was Olympification (which I also have to give you cred for inventing!)


*ahem*
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/is-there-a-word-meaning.205345/#post-4412318

I'd like to thank @mjray for reusing my word and @jonny jeez for recognising it, and you, dear @CanucksTraveller, for recognising its quality, and @sarahale for starting the thread that gave my dear, dear friend @mjray the chance to use it, and my agent, and the director, and the make-up team, and my arranger and composer, but most of all I'd like to thank myself for inventing the word. We're all marvellous.

*placeholder for running off stage clutching award sobbing histrionically yellow-faced thing*


----------



## srw (13 Aug 2016)

Back on topic, I can't ride without glasses because I can't see without glasses, and having tried contact lenses briefly I didn't get on with them. I typically wear reasonably shallow glasses, which I find are good up to about 35mph - beyond that my eyes start watering and I can't see properly.

I would recommend a decent pair of interchangeable lens glasses - both Mrs W and I (when I was wearing contacts) use them and swear by them.


----------



## Katherine (13 Aug 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> I'll look out for them on special offer!
> Btw, today I got stung ... on my upper leg, the fatty bit, by a bee that got stuck in my clothing



Aw, nasty.


----------



## ColinJ (14 Aug 2016)

Never mind high-speed insect collisions, I was grateful to be wearing my eye protection this evening near dusk when riding back along the Calder Valley. I should rename it 'Midge Alley'! There were thousands of the things slowly flying about. They were bouncing off the lenses relentlessly for several miles.


----------



## winjim (14 Aug 2016)

I may have just accidentally put my rather expensive Rudy Project prescription glasses through the wash with all my other cycling kit.  Fortunately they came out unscratched and sparkling clean.


----------



## T4tomo (14 Aug 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> I'll look out for them on special offer!
> Btw, today I got stung ... on my upper leg, the fatty bit, by a bee that got stuck in my clothing


Must be a 'bees around the honey pot' joke in there somewhere

I got a wasp trapped in my helmet (headgear) just the right side of the insect mesh. Never whipped anything off so quick and fortunately we both survived unscathed.


----------



## fossyant (14 Aug 2016)

Bolle are a big safety glasses manufacturer. They do them in clear and tints. Usually less than £10 each and are ideal for cycling. Very tough.

It seams as soon as a sport is mentoned, the prices go through the roof.

I have a few Bolle glasses and some cheap oakley look a likes (not Oakley branded) which work great with my prescription inserts.


----------



## ColinJ (15 Aug 2016)

ColinJ said:


> Never mind high-speed insect collisions, I was grateful to be wearing my eye protection this evening near dusk when riding back along the Calder Valley. I should rename it 'Midge Alley'! There were thousands of the things slowly flying about. They were bouncing off the lenses relentlessly for several miles.


I got a puncture next to a stream at dusk last night. I can now report that glasses give no protection to your eyes whatsoever when you are not actually moving! I ended up with several midges in my eyes after they found their way round my glasses (as well as numerous bites on my arms and legs). 

_*Helpful hint:*_ If you puncture somewhere where midges are waiting to pounce, walk your bike to somewhere windier and drier where you will only get half eaten while carrying out the repair!


----------



## sarahale (16 Aug 2016)

I've had a ridiculously busy week so only just managed to pop back on here and check the replies, thanks everyone. 

I don't wear glasses and it's never crossed my mind to wear anything to protect my eyes whilst cycling, in my defense I don't see a great deal of other cyclists wearing them (or I don't notice!) And I've had near misses with bees and stones but I've always managed to blink in time so far for the bigger bugs. I've been cycling daily for years and it's only in the last couple of months my right eye in particular has started bothering me. 

I just hate wearing glasses but I'll get over myself and pop to my bike shop and see what's on offer. If they get really gruesome again I will add a picture but currently are not looking too bad.


----------



## mjr (16 Aug 2016)

sarahale said:


> I just hate wearing glasses but I'll get over myself and pop to my bike shop and see what's on offer.


I think a couple of us mentioned that "workwear" or "country pursuit" glasses are cheaper and designed for multi-hour use more than cheaper bike shop glasses. Some of them are actually quite reasonable-looking (but not mine because they have to fit over regular glasses  ).


----------



## lutonloony (22 Aug 2016)

slightly off topic im afraid. I need to wear script glasses to get my eyesight to legal driving requirement ( ie being able to read number plate). should I use corrective glasses for cycling? I can sort of see ok, just not to legal requirement if that makes sense


----------



## mjr (22 Aug 2016)

lutonloony said:


> slightly off topic im afraid. I need to wear script glasses to get my eyesight to legal driving requirement ( ie being able to read number plate). should I use corrective glasses for cycling? I can sort of see ok, just not to legal requirement if that makes sense


In my opinion, short-sighted people probably should wear their glasses for cycling to maximise the visual warning we get of the shoot that others do, but as far as I know, you're allowed to cycle without them, at your own risk. I'm pretty sure I cycled without wearing my glasses for a while after my eyesight fell below legal driving standard - it would be a bit dicey at my current prescription, though (something near -4 I think, if that makes sense).


----------



## vickster (22 Aug 2016)

lutonloony said:


> slightly off topic im afraid. I need to wear script glasses to get my eyesight to legal driving requirement ( ie being able to read number plate). should I use corrective glasses for cycling? I can sort of see ok, just not to legal requirement if that makes sense


How clearly can you see without? Do you wear glasses day to day or just for driving? Are you able to go about your daily business safely without?


----------



## lutonloony (22 Aug 2016)

mjr said:


> In my opinion, short-sighted people probably should wear their glasses for cycling to maximise the visual warning we get of the shoot that others do, but as far as I know, you're allowed to cycle without them, at your own risk. I'm pretty sure I cycled without wearing my glasses for a while after my eyesight fell below legal driving standard - it would be a bit dicey at my current prescription, though (something near -4 I think, if that makes sense).


Vision not too bad. Specs sort of make it HD


----------



## lutonloony (22 Aug 2016)

vickster said:


> How clearly can you see without? Do you wear glasses day to day or just for driving? Are you able to go about your daily business safely without?


I do wear glasses during the day, but it's not too drastic if I forget them


----------



## srw (22 Aug 2016)

lutonloony said:


> slightly off topic im afraid. I need to wear script glasses to get my eyesight to legal driving requirement ( ie being able to read number plate). should I use corrective glasses for cycling? I can sort of see ok, just not to legal requirement if that makes sense


On (a few very rare) occasions when it's raining very hard I do sometimes ride without specs, because that gives marginally better vision than riding with very soggy glasses.

But I wouldn't recommend it regularly.


----------



## icowden (19 Jul 2022)

ColinJ said:


> _*Helpful hint:*_ If you puncture somewhere where midges are waiting to pounce, walk your bike to somewhere windier and drier where you will only get half eaten while carrying out the repair!


Alternatively, apparently midges and mosquitos are not fond of gin. If you drink a lot of that you should be fine


----------



## ColinJ (19 Jul 2022)

icowden said:


> Alternatively, apparently midges and mosquitos are not fond of gin. If you drink a lot of that you should be fine


Ha ha - I doubt that! Maybe it is based on getting too p****d to notice the bites...


----------



## icowden (19 Jul 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha - I doubt that! Maybe it is based on getting too p****d to notice the bites...


It is actually true. I learned it from the Sine curator of flies (and Dave Gorman who raised it) at the Natural History Museum on the Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 24 Bats vs Flies. Definitely true for Mosquitos anyway, so I imagine it's worth a try on midges!


----------



## vickster (19 Jul 2022)

Isn’t it the quinine in tonic rather?


----------



## Ming the Merciless (19 Jul 2022)

icowden said:


> Alternatively, apparently midges and mosquitos are not fond of gin. If you drink a lot of that you should be fine


----------



## icowden (19 Jul 2022)

How odd - that thread showed up on my front page - just assumed it was current!!


----------

