Prescription Polarised Sunnies

[isaac]

Hi all, am looking for a good quality pair of prescription polarised sunnies and was wondering if anyone has a good type/brand of lens that they use and can recommend. I would like a pair to replace my Mako warriors that I can no longer use due to the prescription, I did consider contacts but the price and hassel put me off. I would prefer glass but would consider polycarb aswell, any ideas? cheers Isaac

[szopen]

I wear prescription glasses and use polarized clip ons.
Not much of a fashion statement but does the job well.
Cheap and easily replaced.

[isaac]

szopen, thought about that option but would rather spend good dollars once and look after them as I did with my makos. cheers isaac

[GBC]

I've been told prescription sunnies can't be polarised....I'd like to be told different though.
I'll be watching this thread with some interest.
Yours in failing sight,
C.J.

[Glind]

Go to places like OPSM. They have a range of sunglasses that are compatible with prescription lenses. I recently bought a pair of Ray Ban Daddy-O's and had them put polarised, bi-focal prescription lenses in them.
They are excellent.
You can get a heap of different frames and it depends on how thick your lense has to be as to what frame will suit, but their frames are rated for you.
They aren't cheap, but if you have a private health insurance that covers glasses, then okay. At the time I got mine, OPSM had all frames at half price and with the private health insurance rebate, they cost me about $200 out of pocket. An excellent investment.
Tim

[isaac]

GBC, I've already had quotes from 2 optomotrists, they can do polarised lenses in plastic, polycarb or glass. Just looking for advice on what people have used and whats best. cheers isaac

[Moffy]

i got some spotters made up in my prescription a few months ago - I just rang them up, asked what frames they could do precription lenses in - then went and found which one of those frames i liked and sent them my prescription - had them back within the week - bronze pentrator lenses and all.

they are the ducks n&ts on the water i can tell you. am sure that other similar manufacturers can do the same - (Mako etc)

i actually ended up getting them through the local sunglasses shop after initially ringing spotters direct - only because the price they quoted was exactly the same as through spotters themselves - handy to have the local service with any warranty issues.

cost around $500 - so not cheap - but on the invoice they gave me the codes that i needed to be able to claim the optical component back through my health insurance - so brought it back down almost to the cost of the normal spotters once i got my health insurance refund. ;D

you can get polarised prescription sunnies from most optometrists - but for me - much better to get the specialised fishing sunnies made up - worth every cent IMO. wouldn't be without them out in the sun now.

Moffy

[isaac]

Tim_N, one of the quotes i got was from opsm, they said they could possibly fit the lenses in my makos. Did you get plastic, poly or glass lenses?

[isaac]

moffy, posted before i got your reply, thanks for the info did you get poly or glass?

[Glind]

Go glass, it is the best and the most user friendly of on the water use when polarising.

[masterdusky]

Isaac polycarb is waaaaaaayy outdated,phoenix is the new age "polycarb"....much more resiliant,especially where chemicals are concerned,and its not like ur looking through a headlight(as is the case with polycarb!) phoenix is heaps easier for an optomertrist to cut and so can be fitted to 99.9% of sunglass frames....where r u mate,if ur on the gold coast I can give u the name of an excellent optometrist on the gold coast...just one word of caution...shop around ,if ur not happy or the least bit sceptical about the opinion of theoptom' get anoher opinion,as with docs there r a lot of shonky ones.......ask about phoenix....way way better,if they dont know about it go somewhere else.. :D

[Moffy]

isaac - glass ;) - basically spotters just made up their usual Bronze penetrator lense, but on a base of my prescription glass, instead of optically correct glass (well that's how i understand it from a layman's point of view anyhow ::)).

[masterdusky]

glass is good but as said look into getting the phoenix lenses,theyre used by the army now and are extremely tuff,resist scratching,chemicals etc. I suppose it depends on ur budget also..

[isaac]

thanks for the info blokes, I've done some more research, mako don't do prescriptions, got quotes on spotters and am leaning towards them at the moment, as they gan do glass prescripts, thats what I'm used to and thats what I want, thanks moffy. ;)
Masterdusky I'm not on the gc but can you please give me with the name of the optom. that can supply the phoenix lenses, so I can get some more info and quotes. thanks isaac

[masterdusky]

cheers mate PM sent ;)

[NeilD]

It would be still cheaper to go contacts. I made the change a couple of years ago and once you get used to them you will not go back.

Neil

[isaac]

Neil, probably not for me as my health fund covers very little on contacts but a decent part of the lenses. cheers isaac

[Wesley_Pang]

Isaac,

I use disposable 1 day contacts and normal spotters.

1-day disposable contacts are the most comfortable contacts I've tried.

I've gone back to glass after a couple of years with soft contacts, and only wear contact for fishing.

Disposable contact do not correct astigmatism (irregularly shaped cornea), but if your prescription isn't too bad, it's not a problem.

The disposable contact are covered by MBF.

Wes

[isaac]

cheers Wes, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give the disposables a trial with my makos :-/ :-? isaac

[szopen]

I will try to argue my point a bit more.
(have been wearing prescription glasses for almost 30 years).

With the modern thin lenses and high tech designs of the frames you can get the prescription glasses that fit and work perfectly.

The range of available sunnies frames pales in comparision.

It is a very important thing to get the prescription glasses just right.
And it is not easy or cheap.

Pays long term.

I have tried a couple of "hybrid" sets but have never found them of comparable level.
(Well I do need some serious prescription glasses).

The "almost disposable" clip on polaroids fit on any frame, work well, do not last, easily lost, scratch, break, get forgotten and at less than 5$ a set it all doesn't matter.

[macca]

I am about to get new specs.

I can't afford to get sunnies and normal specs, so I am looking at getting some fitover glasses. The fitovers fit over your existing glasses offer polarised lenses and are completely wrap around to stop light from entering from the sides. They also come in a number of sizes, colours and styles to fit over your existing glasses.

Check it out at fitovers.com

Can buy from optometrists or you can buy them online thru their site.

Macca

[Moffy]

as SZopen says - the clip-ons can be a good option

but i have to add to my earlier post that having full wrap around prescription sunnies which do not let in any light at the sides - as i have with my prescription spotters - is a huge difference on the water - especially if you regularly do full days on the water. 8-) - just something else to consider anyway.

it was a little different at first with the prescription wrapping around, instead of being relatively flat in front of your face as with normal glasses - but after a day or so - i didn't notice it at all - and now swap from my usual glasses to the spotters without any issue at all.

[szopen]

It all comes to back to the issue of what is the most important part.

In my case it is prescription glasses as I can hardly see without them.
So it is clip ons and a wide brimmed hat for me.
(You can see my serious regard for how I look ;D ;D ;D)
It works a treat.

Helps with the sunburn problem as well.

I have tried the wrap around ones from 2 or 3 companies.
They work fine, but like all this type of stuff (in my case anyway) tend to get damaged/lost at the speed that does not justify their price.

With the clip ons I have always a spare set in my fishing bag so if they get scratched/broken/lost I just get the other set and have no worries about the loss/cost part of the equasion.

[2DKnBJ]

If anyone from this site wants new sunnies i can make them for you at alot less than you will pay retail.I am an optical technician and have been doing this for 20 years.
When Spotters started putting prescription lenses in there sunnies we use to make them for them.
I can do polarised lenses in plastic,glass ,pollycarb and soon to be released transition polarised.These lenses will be marketed under the name DRIVEWEAR.
If anyone is interested send me a PM or call me #PH 0409065032.
Here are some prices

The frames are #Mako wrap around metal in grey or brown.
With the following lenses.
plain polarised grey or brown $170.00
prescription polarised grey or brown $190.00
If you have your own frames the lenses are$60.00 or $80.00.
Prices for any oyher lenses are available on request
Cheers Dazza

[szopen]

I guess Dazza was the person to PM.

Ausfish sometimes works wonders.
It is a big bunch of people.

[land_down_under]

I too wanted to have wrap around sunglasses to cut down as much glare as possible. When seeking this type of "curved" frame / lense they are unable to make optical lenses fit due to distortion. The answer I have found, and am supremely happy with, is having sunglasses that have an optical clip inside the sunglasses - my sunnies are Rudy Project (look at their site - plenty of different styles etc- from memory called the Rx insert clip) - Adidas also do the same thing.
The cost was reasonable and if I look after them all I have to do in the future is change the prescription on the insert for less that $100

[Roo]

I got a pair of transition lenses in my last pair of glasses (not sunnies) thinking they would be handy for car/boat/everthing really.
not so >:(
when you get in the car.....they go clear.
when you put on a hat....they lighten considerably
when i turn off the light to go to bed.....complete darkness.... ;D

other than that. there ok.

where this is leading is with regard to photochromatic sunnies. are they as sensative as the transitions???
hope not.

I ended up getting a set of Mako's (metal frame) made up with a preciption polarized lens thru OPSM. these have been great. I tried contacts but they were not so suitable ( i have astigmatism os somtheing) as the salt air had me constantly flushing my eyeballs with Lube ::)(for eyes) particularly when motoring into the breeze.

happy shopping people
Cheers, Roo

[2DKnBJ]

Roo
The new drivewear lenses are simmilar to transitions but with alot more technology involved.They not only change density but they also change from brown to yellow then clear.Brown in the sun and yellow mild light and clear with no light.
Have sent you a pm
Cheers Dazza

[isaac]

Well I wanted info, now I got it ;D ;D, info overload :o Thanks blokes, some good options now, just have too make a decision. thanks again, isaac

[al_neibling]

Isaac,

Thanks so much for asking the question, I have buckleys and none of even seeing bait splash out there without my trusty (very old!) specs.
Today was was going to head out to the optom, to ask all the questions that I think have been answered here!!!! [smiley=heart.gif] ausfish

I too have done the contacts thing but the dryness is just to bad.

I will be giving Dazza a call at a more respectable time this morning.

[smiley=dankk2.gif]
al