Prescription Polarized Glasses?

[mcswny]

Has anyone gone the route of getting Rx Costa or Smith Polarized Glasses? Are you happy?
For the longest time, I would just check the polarized box at my optometrist when they filled my sunglasses lenses and I'm beginning to wonder if they just not the best polarized lenses I can get.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

I have a pair of Smith guides choice Rx. Very happy.
I was wearing those massive polarized cocoon sunglasses for years. Noticeable difference in comfort and quality of the lens with the Smiths.
They are not inexpensive. But if you can afford it I'd highly recommend giving them a try.

PS Was excited to recently find out that you can use an HSA to purchase prescription sunglasses.

 

[Dogsnfish]

I have Maui's prescription with a progressive lens and they are great. My everyday glasses also have polarized, but does not seem to be near as nice as the Maui's. Only problem with prescription sunglasses is that your prescription changes over time, and they sure are expensive to replace. Buddy of mine used cocoons over his prescription glasses and liked them. Avoids all of the problems I just pointed out about the way I do things.

 

[Stonedfish]

If you want a more budget friendly option, you might consider these.
I’ve got two pairs and have been very happy with them and great customer service.
I was turned on to them by another forum member.
SF

Prescription Sunglasses

What’s the single most important safety measure any outdoorsman, angler or waterman can take? Protecting the eyes, of course! See where you’re driving, where you’re shooting or where you’re casting better than ever before with Guideline Eyegear’s polarized prescription eyewear. Guideline Eyegear...

icueyewear.com

Fisherman Eyewear

Fisherman Eyewear sunglasses feature polarized lenses that eliminate reflective glare & protect against harmful UVA & UVB rays. Order today at ICU Eyewear.

icueyewear.com

 

[PhilR]

I have a pair of Maui Jim’s as well, and really like them. When I have to replace them, I’m getting progressives.

 

[mcswny]

Thanks for the options everyone, I really appreciate it.
To be honest, I really just want Lasik.

 

[clarkman]

I really like my Smith's. Amber chromapop

 

[mtskibum16]

If you want a more budget friendly option, you might consider these.
I’ve got two pairs and have been very happy with them and great customer service.
I was turned on to them by another forum member.
SF

Prescription Sunglasses

What’s the single most important safety measure any outdoorsman, angler or waterman can take? Protecting the eyes, of course! See where you’re driving, where you’re shooting or where you’re casting better than ever before with Guideline Eyegear’s polarized prescription eyewear. Guideline Eyegear...

icueyewear.com

Fisherman Eyewear

Fisherman Eyewear sunglasses feature polarized lenses that eliminate reflective glare & protect against harmful UVA & UVB rays. Order today at ICU Eyewear.

icueyewear.com

Thanks for the rec Brian. My father in law was just asking me about this last week wanting to get some, but I think the normal options are a bit out of his budget.

 

[Tom Butler]

I'm fortunate that my base prescription hasn't changed much from college, my big problem is a stigmatism, and I just barely fail the driving exam without them. I went with a pair of Ray Ban's, actually got them for driving. The lenses were a different option from the optometrist as I like a progressive with wide view. If I wore them in class I could see the podium computer and all the kids, or the tach and down the road as it were, big sweet spot. Kind of a brownish, dark up top and less so down below, but really lighter than most people prefer overall I think. They are polarized to cut glare and really work well for fishing, blocking a lot of light but not so dark I can't see in the shady spots. Even works well around snow. They provide the coverage I like to prevent to much leakage from below or the sides.
So I guess maybe try some things that give the coverage you want and talk to the optimist about lens choice. Yes, for me it was worth it.

 

[mcswny]

I'm fortunate that my base prescription hasn't changed much from college, my big problem is a stigmatism, and I just barely fail the driving exam without them. I went with a pair of Ray Ban's, actually got them for driving. The lenses were a different option from the optometrist as I like a progressive with wide view. If I wore them in class I could see the podium computer and all the kids, or the tach and down the road as it were, big sweet spot. Kind of a brownish, dark up top and less so down below, but really lighter than most people prefer overall I think. They are polarized to cut glare and really work well for fishing, blocking a lot of light but not so dark I can't see in the shady spots. Even works well around snow. They provide the coverage I like to prevent to much leakage from below or the sides.
So I guess maybe try some things that give the coverage you want and talk to the optimist about lens choice. Yes, for me it was worth it.

Thanks for the detail Tom.

Yeah, thankfully my Rx hasn't changed much in 20 years. And like you, it's the stigmatism that's a bigger issue for me. Otherwise I'd just get contacts and get any glasses I choose.

 

[Guy Gregory]

I've had Zenni's, RayBans, and Smiths since I gave up the polarized clip-ons. My favorites were the Raybans, a very comfortable frame and lens shape, which of course they discontinued. The Smith's are good, too, but lack a wraparound. The Zenni's were nice because I could order 'em myself and up the magnification on the bifocal so I could see little bitty fly eyes. They were't progressive, which has it's advantages walking downhill with bifocals. They were also epically inexpensive, and very, very cheap.

I don't think you can go wrong.

 

[clarkman]

I will say though that if you have a higher prescription, you'll want less of a lense curve....saves on weird distortion.

 

[Jim F.]

Maui Jim progressives work well for me. Spendy though.

 

[Stonedfish]

Thanks for the rec Brian. My father in law was just asking me about this last week wanting to get some, but I think the normal options are a bit out of his budget.

Matt,
One other thing regarding Guideline I should have mentioned.
I was concerned about frame size as I have a big melon. I sent their CS people the dimensions of my Smith frames. Shorty after that a box showed up with like 12 different frames in it for me to try on. I selected the frames I wanted, added the self return address label to the box to ship it back and ordered my frames online.
I’m not sure if they are still doing that due to all that is going on but I was really impressed by their customer service.
After wearing fit overs, clip ons etc with my contacts, I’ll never go back after get prescription sunglasses.
SF

 

[Jerry Daschofsky]

Has anyone gone the route of getting Rx Costa or Smith Polarized Glasses? Are you happy?
For the longest time, I would just check the polarized box at my optometrist when they filled my sunglasses lenses and I'm beginning to wonder if they just not the best polarized lenses I can get.

My Dad had a prescription set of polarized. He loved them. He much preferred them over those over glasses. Unfortunately when he passed they were useless to anyone else.

 

[Mtbright]

I have with maui Jims and costa's. The costaa lens are amazing they were not cheap, but i have pretty good insurance. the maui jims were nice too, i am using them again because someone stole my costa's. I like to think they got a headache when they tried to wear rhem with my perscription...

 

[GAT]

I bought one pair of prescription polarized glasses ... then in two years they were worthless because my eye sight changed and I needed new glasses. I can't afford buying new prescription polarized glasses when my prescription changes so I decided to experiment with the lens frame clip on glass polarized lens. The optometrist sells them in a wide variety of styles so they fit perfectly over my normal glass lens.

Because they are optical glass and not plastic, they work extremely well. These are not the elcheapo plastic jobs that clip onto the frame crossbar. These are made to fit the lens frames and do. Just an option if you're like me and your eyeglass prescription keeps changing.

 

[Brian Miller]

I have Maui's prescription with a progressive lens and they are great. My everyday glasses also have polarized, but does not seem to be near as nice as the Maui's. Only problem with prescription sunglasses is that your prescription changes over time, and they sure are expensive to replace. Buddy of mine used cocoons over his prescription glasses and liked them. Avoids all of the problems I just pointed out about the way I do things.

What are your everyday prescription polarized glasses?

I've used affordable Drivewear amber to brown photochromic glasses for, well, driving, everyday sunglasses, and fishing because I couldn't afford Maui's - Costa - Smith. They work as well as the Smith rose to brown photochromic single vision glasses I used 10 years ago but I can't compare to the latest Smith, Costa, Maui... Drivewear progressive lenses work pretty well for me. I can see through the glare on the water to see where I am about to step, and can see fish in clear stream pools, but rarely able to spot fish in riffles. Under the tutelage of a guide I have been able to distinguish bonefish.

BTW the polarized amber Drivewear tint removes a surprising and significant amount of glare from rain in the air and on the windshield in gloomy-cloudy PNW weather.

Also I've worn prescription eyewear for astigmatism going on 48 years now. I was required to wear corrective lenses while driving but two years ago my distance vision improved to where last month the optometrist said that my prescription is just "a shade of correction over plain glass" and virtually the same as the previous year. I still wear glasses because of presbyopia, and it just feels weird not to wear glasses after 48 years. It's probably providing a little UV protection that can stave off cataracts too.

Oh, and I tell my optometrist that I am a fly angler - tyer and need to be able to focus at 8" to thread a hook and tie flies. He adjusts the progressive strength to make that work.

PLUS, if my vision remains stable for a third year I maaaay invest in the very expensive "free-form design" or "wavefront" Premium progressive lenses in the Costa - Maui - Smith fishing sunglasses if they are available.

 

[Brian Miller]

I will say though that if you have a higher prescription, you'll want less of a lense curve....saves on weird distortion.

^^^^^!!!!!
@ one point I tried putting Drivewear progressive lenses into those cool Bausch & Lomb (Predator?) Men in Black curved frames.
The nearfield distortion made it nearly impossible to thread a hook!

 

[bobduck]

Being a poor old retired guy I just go to Bimart in the spring and buy the polarized cover glasses that fit over my prescription glasses just fine and they're only $20 apiece. Work for me just fine.