Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Progressive lens distortion

For the last 3+ years, I've been riding with prescription sunglasses during the day which are of the "progressive no-line lens" type of bifocals. My distance vision remains pretty good, but I still have a correction for distance in one eye as well as close in "reading" correction for both eyes. Since I'd been wearing them, I've noticed I've had some trouble on turns and curves when riding, and I couldn't gauge how far to lean (for example). Yesterday was a "clear shield and no sunglasses" type of day, so I headed out to road test my new tires without any glasses. Let me tell you that it was as though I had shaved twenty years off my life, and I could take the curves about 200% better than when I was wearing the progressive lenses. My balance was better, my sight distance on the curves was better, and the road appeared to be much less distorted when approaching turns.

I can't remember anyone else bringing this up, but I truly believe now that progressive bifocals are actually bordering on dangerous for those of us who wear corrective lenses when riding. I think that the problem lies in the gradual transition in the lenses from close in to distance vision, which leads to a distorted road appearance and affects balance and peripheral vision when on the bike. Combined the natural minor distortion in any helmet shield, and it all adds up.

I may be off base here, and I may be the only one who has this problem, but my experience has convinced me to get regular bifocal glasses to wear specifically when riding. I'll leave the progressive "no line" lenses to someone who doesn't mind them.

So, what's my point?

If you wear no-line bifocals and your vision is good enough to make the comparison, try this. Ride without your glasses and see if your riding, balance, and ability to judge curves and lean angle doen't improve.

John, question. If one is farsighted and only uses bifocals when they need to read fine print, then why wear bifocals at all while riding and/or driving? Are you saying you can't read the speedometer without them or somethin'?

Yes. The speedo is a little fuzzy for me without reading lenses. Also, when I use a GPS on longer trips, it's also a little blurry without lenses.

However, the point of my post is that I'm sure I'm not theonly one out there who wears no-line bifocals when riding, and I wanted to share that I've noticed a distortion which directly affects my riding ability when I wear them. However, I may be the only one who has noticed this. I also have an issue with walking down stairs while wearing them as well.

Okay! Well then, IF you can't read the speedometer on that BMW o' yours, then MAYBE you shouldn't have sold that Triumph you had that had that HUMONGOUS one on it then, EH???!!!

(...ever think o' THAT???!!!)

You're probably right...

You're not the only one. I ditched the no line bifocals after I missed seeing a few pieces of gravel as I was coming through a corner. By the time they entered my field of vision, it was too late to do anything but hang on and pucker!

Since I was nearsighted, I had a pair of single vision sunglasses made (distance only).

I wear no line bifocals with clear lenses every day. On the rare occasion I wear them riding at night, I don't have any problem. I have distance only riding sunglasses and fortunately I can see the speedometer. Maybe your lenses have become distorted, ie, left in a hot car, or saddlebag on a hot day? May want to have them checked.

Brand spanking new. I've been having this problem for 3 years, now on the old pair as well.

huh, so that's what's wrong with my riding!

seriously though, I've never noticed the issue. It doesn't seem to me that the lenses distort the location of objects, they just don't focuss as well if the object is not in the correct zone. e.g. if i move my head side to side while staring at something the something doesn't move.

this may vary with the type of prescription of course. I'm the classic near-sighted one-eyed astigmatic. If that's a bit worrying I've also got an eye infection blurring things nicely today and it's raining. vroom vroom look out - here i come!

You got his glasses at the airforce base there in Jacksonville didn't ya?

I'm going through a similar experience. My riding sunglasses are a Ray Ban model with some correction for distance and a line bi-focal. They work for my vision both near and far....I can read the GPS and tach. However, I'd like a more wrap around sunglass for better eye protection. My research shows that wrap around lenses don't work well with bi-focals, line or progressive. Apparently there will be a lot of distortion on the outer edges. I've discovered that WileyX http://www.wileyx.com/index.aspx and Oakley http://ca.oakley.com/store make their own prescription lenses that can have quite a curve to them. Oakley has a great selection of frames, but combined with a prescription lens, become very expensive for Canadians. WileyX on the other hand, have some Motorcycle specific frames and are reasonably priced with their prescription. There aren't any WileyX dealers in Canada, but they have offered me a prescrption pair that I can order on line. Placing an order on line with out trying some frames on for fit, bothers me somewhat. Some measurements I gave a WileyX rep suggests I have a medium/small face, so she recomended the AirRage Frame. Any one with a medium/small face have experience with WileyX sunglasses, especially the AirRage style? I'm also considering giving up the bi-focal prescription and just go for the distance correction I need. Any thoughts on that choice?

Multi focal contact lenses .

Been using them for years, so close to natural vision, near and far, I can't see any difference.

you should talk to your optomatrist

Or do like I did,get lasik and ditch the glasses....

With lasik, can you get transition eyeball lenses?

I have progressive lens but rarely wear them on my bike, wearing contact lens most of the time. I don't recall any vision issues but find that I cannot really read well with the glasses. I read better with my naked eye, so I find myself taking off the pretty expensive bifocals to read. I won't get another pair unless my eyesight changes dramatically.
I also tried multi-focal contact lens but unfortunately while I could read great with them, my long range vision suffered. I couldn't read highway exit signs and missed a plane once because I miss-read the screen and went to the wrong gate. So I ditched those. That was 3 years ago, I'm hoping they made some improvements and might want to try them again. With my normal contacts in place, I can't read at all, which can be pretty frustrating, particularly if I've forgotten my reading glasses (Walmart specials).
It sucks to get old!

Here's some cutting edge technology for lens. Electronic lens Be sure to watch the demo.

Pretty Cool!

If this discussion doesn't prove we have a geezer board going on here, i don't know..... Use progressive lenses and am not taking the turns like I used to back in the day....