Paul F Posted May 9, 2011 Report Posted May 9, 2011 Hey all, I am in the market for some prescription sunglasses... Particularly polarized sunglasses. I have never bought or owned a pair of sunglasses in my life (if you can believe that) and I have no idea what I am doing. I have done some minimal reading about them but I dont know what particular shades are best for fishing and whatnot. I have worn other peoples sunglasses before and I am not a big fan of heavily tinted lenses, I just want something that can cut the glare off of the water so that I can spot things beneath the surface and save my eyes from being cooked by the sun's relections off the water. I am due for a trip to the optometrist anyhow so when I am in there I will request a copy of my prescription and see what they have to offer but I was wondering is anyone could provide me with some insight on this subject. Thanks in advance! Quote
Scott Ferguson Posted May 10, 2011 Report Posted May 10, 2011 I am due for a trip to the optometrist anyhow so when I am in there I will request a copy of my prescription and see what they have to offer but I was wondering is anyone could provide me with some insight on this subject. Thanks in advance! "Insight" on the subject? Pun intended? I know little about prescription glasses except the prescription polarized glasses can be pricey. Have you looked at Cocoons eyewear? They make a wide variety of sunglasses that fit over your regular glasses. Might save you some money. Quote
Mike G Posted May 10, 2011 Report Posted May 10, 2011 It looks like Oris has them in polarizing starting at $125 or so. I like the cacoon or fitover concept. Unless I want things to get dark early, I have to have my regular prescription with me anyway. As the day darkens I take off my sunglasses leaving the prescriptions on. The wraparound styles give nice side shield protection also. To give it a try before sinking money into prescriptions, Wally's has a brand called Solarguard similar to Cacoons in most of their stores so you can find a pair that fits over your glasses for a modest cost. Then upgrade to Cacoons or prescription ground based on your experience. Last thought, consider how frequently your prescription changes. Continuing with an old prescription in your sunglasses with a new one for every other use is not the way to go. You have to get new sunglasses each time there is change. Quote
John Gillio Posted May 10, 2011 Report Posted May 10, 2011 I agree with Mike. The solar guards work quite well. For 20 dollars they are worth a try. I've had perscription ones that were great in a recommended rose color, but my prescription keeps changing and the cost of new ones is tremendous. The solar guards look cooler propped up on your hat anyway . Quote
Gavin Posted May 10, 2011 Report Posted May 10, 2011 It depends...My distance vision is very good, but I need help in close...so I go with a pair of high quality polarized lenses in a copper color and a pair of 2.5x magnifiers clipped to my hat. Glass lenses are the best, but the polycarbonate lenses are pretty good too. Hard to go wrong with Smith or any of the better brands. Cheers. Quote
mlahart Posted May 11, 2011 Report Posted May 11, 2011 I just bought a pair of script sunglasses. I wear bifocals with a script on both halves, so I got tired of mixing it up while fishing. I've been out with the new glasses twice and love it. The new glasses are bronze(not too dark) polarized and with glare blocking on both sides. I went with titanium frames which I was told would stand up to a beating. They were a bit pricey, but my prescription doesn't change very often so I should be able to get a couple of years out of them. I also find them easy to drive with while I am consulting my Gazeteer to get to those good fishing spots. Quote
Rob G Posted May 11, 2011 Report Posted May 11, 2011 Not to intrude here and I'm sorry I didn't pick up on this thread earlier, but as an eye doc that has his own lab, if I can answer any questions on this subject, just let me know. Quote
Mike G Posted May 12, 2011 Report Posted May 12, 2011 Not to intrude here and I'm sorry I didn't pick up on this thread earlier, but as an eye doc that has his own lab, if I can answer any questions on this subject, just let me know. Rob, Thanks for the offer. It looks like true polarizing prescription glasses can be had from several soources. But I need the so called progressive glasses. Cost is an issue. Assuming you can turn them out, what would a pair cost? Quote
Rob G Posted May 12, 2011 Report Posted May 12, 2011 Mike, I would stay local if I were you because if you need some adjustments in Rx, tint, etc. much better to be close to home. Progressive bifocal placement within the the frame and lens is very very critical and a miniscule difference can make a huge improvement in the quality of your vision. It can't be done well without direct measurement. Costs will be fairly high where ever you go because that particular lens structure, polarized and progressive, are only available thru a couple sources and they charge us an arm and leg for the blanks. I do feel this is a great way to go if you are on the water or even just outdoors a great deal. I personally use a prescription polarized lens along with sometimes small magnifiers attached to the bill of my cap since I'm not forced to wear a bifocal all the time. (An eye doc in denial ) The optics of a polarized prescription lens is far superior to wearing a polarized "fitover" over your clear glasses because of less lens surfaces for the light to be reflected but it works OK for the casual user. Hope this info helps. Quote
Mike G Posted May 12, 2011 Report Posted May 12, 2011 Mike, I would stay local if I were you because if you need some adjustments in Rx, tint, etc. much better to be close to home. Progressive bifocal placement within the the frame and lens is very very critical and a miniscule difference can make a huge improvement in the quality of your vision. It can't be done well without direct measurement. Costs will be fairly high where ever you go because that particular lens structure, polarized and progressive, are only available thru a couple sources and they charge us an arm and leg for the blanks. I do feel this is a great way to go if you are on the water or even just outdoors a great deal. I personally use a prescription polarized lens along with sometimes small magnifiers attached to the bill of my cap since I'm not forced to wear a bifocal all the time. (An eye doc in denial ) The optics of a polarized prescription lens is far superior to wearing a polarized "fitover" over your clear glasses because of less lens surfaces for the light to be reflected but it works OK for the casual user. Hope this info helps. Thanks Rob. Quote
Paul F Posted May 12, 2011 Author Report Posted May 12, 2011 Thanks for all the advice guys, Are the solar gaurds from wally world polarized? Quote
Rob G Posted May 12, 2011 Report Posted May 12, 2011 Thanks for all the advice guys, Are the solar gaurds from wally world polarized? Not sure about the solar guards but do realize that there are very significant differences in the quality or degrees of polarization. Again, for the casual user -> no big deal, but if you're going to be using them a lot -> get the best you can afford. Quote
Mike G Posted May 13, 2011 Report Posted May 13, 2011 Thanks for all the advice guys, Are the solar gaurds from wally world polarized? Yes, absolutely. Since I have 3 pairs, I can do a simple test. If I cross two lenses at 90 degrees, it is lights out black. Quote
John Gillio Posted May 13, 2011 Report Posted May 13, 2011 Thanks for all the advice guys, Are the solar gaurds from wally world polarized? Yes, the solar guards are polarized and cut the glare fairly well. I also like them because no light gets in from the sides. Quote
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