Sunglasses on the water....Prescription Eyewear Users

[Nuvole]

I've spent over 500 buck on prescription polarized few years back.
You do need to be gentle when cleaning them or else the coating will wear off.
That pair of glasses decided to do a deep sea dive while I was gaffing the fish ...>_<...

[sundaytrucka]

Do you really have to spend a lot of money to get good polarized lenses? 

Of course not, Wal-Mart buys work just as well as the ones you help pay the marketing and advertising bill for, while others are very well made and worth the value, to some anyway.

Same concept as a $70 reel catches the same fish as a $300 reel, just about what a person wants.

I have really bad eyes, so I have to pay a premium to get the thin lenses in my prescription, otherwise it would be 1940-50 coke bottle lenses for me, honestly, even worse than that when they showed what it would be with standard lenses, add polarization and frames to that....$$$

[Dominick]

Polarising 'wearing off'? i thought it was an inherent part of the construction of the lens. I have cheap polarised sunglasses (not prescription) and they have been through abuse for many years without any loss of polarising power.

When I last bought a pair of prescription specs I had a 'free' pair of polarising sunglasses to the same prescription for free - still have them and need them to read in the sun, or tie knots!

I did say the polarizing wearing off.  Actually there is a coating on the lenses that has blistered.  Dominick

[Tiddlerbasher]

Polarization cannot wear off - it's an inherent part of the plastic structure. Whereas an "anti-glare" coating does and will wear off in time.

People who need glasses should try Eyelevel or Coccoons. They are polarized sunglasses that fit over normal glasses - giving you the best of both worlds.
I've had a pair of each of them for years - One with dark brown lenses, and one with amber lenses. They really work well.   

[Nuvole]

Technology have changed mate.
http://www.corning.com/ophthalmic/products/polarizingsolutions.aspx

My pair of coccoon seems to fog up all the time.

[Reel 224]

Okay I read all the pros and cons so far on polarized glasses, but when you wear prescription glasses..as I do. I have never found a pair of clip on sun glasses that worked for me. Polarized sun glasses that are supposed to fit over glasses are uncomfortable and sloppy. The glasses that I own are transitional lenses...they darken in the sunlight, I don't know if there is a polarized transitional type available now or not but if there is, I'm sure that would probably be best for those of us that wear glasses. I do own special shooting glasses that are prescription with changeable lenses, they are great for focusing on clay targets in all lighting conditions, I have never tried to use them when fishing. The only thing I am saying is adding sun glasses to your already worn glasses is not in my opinion a good way to go.         

[Tiddlerbasher]

Thanks for the info Nuvole, I wasn't aware of that! But I still think "built-in" polarization is the way to go just MHO
If you find fit-over glasses get to steamy - drill some holes in the side windows (air conditioning )

[sundaytrucka]

Okay I read all the pros and cons so far on polarized glasses, but when you wear prescription glasses..as I do. I have never found a pair of clip on sun glasses that worked for me. Polarized sun glasses that are supposed to fit over glasses are uncomfortable and sloppy. The glasses that I own are transitional lenses...they darken in the sunlight, I don't know if there is a polarized transitional type available now or not but if there is, I'm sure that would probably be best for those of us that wear glasses. I do own special shooting glasses that are prescription with changeable lenses, they are great for focusing on clay targets in all lighting conditions, I have never tried to use them when fishing. The only thing I am saying is adding sun glasses to your already worn glasses is not in my opinion a good way to go.         

I 100% agree with you, prescription polarized is the best option, followed by contacts with polarized lenses, it just came down to price point and how often I would really wear them. I have yet to field test the Cocoons, understand they may be cumbersome, and have to deal with cleaning two pairs of glasses versus one, but that is something I have no problem with.

[CATCH-ALL]

Don't buy Ocean Waves prescription sunglasses. Expensive crap. The mirror coating bubbled up and came off, they wouldn't warranty it.

My next pair of prescription sunglasses will be Maui Jims. I hear good things from fellow four-eyed fishermen.
If they have Transition style bifocals, great. But otherwise I will get single vision and just move my head a little for close-in work like tying knots.

Catch

[Reel 224]

I realize technology has come a long way as far as plastics are concerned...at least that is the general consensus today, but for my money glass lenses can not be better performed when it come to optics, hands down. The only draw back is weight, if that is a concern.   

[swill88]

Safety glasses are polycorbonate these days...

[Reel 224]

Safety glasses are polycorbonate these days...

I know what you are saying,but that's another application. I'm referring to the optical part of the lenses, as in clarity and durability of the coatings in glass, as apposed to plastic lenses. I just don't feel that plastic can out perform glass in that manner.     

[swill88]

Safety glasses are polycorbonate these days...

I just don't feel that plastic can out perform glass in that manner.     

Agreed. Also, I wonder if the salt spray is tougher on the plastics?

[CATCH-ALL]

Don't buy Ocean Waves prescription sunglasses. Expensive crap. The mirror coating bubbled up and came off, they wouldn't warranty it.

My next pair of prescription sunglasses will be Maui Jims. I hear good things from fellow four-eyed fishermen.
If they have Transition style bifocals, great. But otherwise I will get single vision and just move my head a little for close-in work like tying knots.

Catch

It's a couple years later and I went with Plan B after finding out that Maui Jims would cost me close to $1,000 for prescription sunglasses. No wa am I going to spend Ten Hundy on freakin' glasses.

A fishing friend - Joe Franz / 1 Bandit - recommended an online glasses outfit called www.TheGlassesShop.com  I have bought four pairs of glasses from them in the past couple years - two were everyday glasses and two were sunglasses. All four were prescription, bifocal, progressive. As long as you do a little research in advance you won't go wrong. Glasses Shop allows you to search frames by several criteria, all in the interest of getting you glasses that look good and work great.

Hope this helps.

Mark / Catch-All

[Tiddlerbasher]

Back end of last year I bit the bullet on lens replacement for my eyes (surgery). Not cheap BUT now I don't need readers and my distance vision is fine. The added bonus I can just wear 10$ Eyelevel sunglasses off of Fleabay