Pages

Friday, July 31

Morale no longer shot to hell

My eyes.  I've got that issue sorted out.  I think.

At first, I did the American thing.  I threw money at the problem.  Eye exam (why did I turn down coverage in January?), order glasses from a typical eyeglass emporium, try contacts, order prescription lenses for my Oakley Racing Jackets. 

The glasses from the place next to my eye doctor... great for out and about town or watching TV. Not for riding.  Cost?  Stupid.

Contacts?  Didn't work.  Long story.

My Oakleys?  My eyes can't adapt to the aberrations.  I feel like Wash Out from Hot Shots.

I can't wear them all the time in order for my brain/eyes to get used to them.  I'm near sighted in one eye and far sighted in the other.  My prescription is optimized for seeing things far away, so I can't wear them doing normal up-close things. 

So, I went down a road suggested by a friend, discounted at first because I was sure my other, more expensive options would work out.  They didn't, so I ended up ordering from Zenni Optical (online).

One of the reasons I didn't want to do it was because of the whole "buy local" thing, but when you get to the bottom of it, there's a reason why glasses cost so much.  Luxottica.  Google it if you're curious, but basically glasses are expensive because one company controls the majority of the market to include brands, retail locations and vision care.  It's a sweet racket.  I know my neighbor might be working at Lenscrafters, but seriously.  I always wondered why eyeglass stores took up so much square footage.

Anyways, I ordered one pair, loved them, and ended  up ordering three more.

Anyone wanna buy three Ultralight 29er tubes cheap?  SRSLY.

For what I paid for my Oakley lenses (not including the frames I already owned), I could buy more than ten pairs of these glasses in all kinda varieties of tints, finishes and frames.  The pink ones on the left are gradient tint with a mirrored oleophobic coating and the ones on the left are yellow tint with a hydrophobic coating.  My other choices were clear for occasional night rides and some straight up sunglasses for staring directly at the sun (my other hobby).

Yes, they look like cheap convenient store sunglasses.  To be honest, they feel like cheap convenient store sunglasses.  I don't really care.  I no longer have to feel so paranoid about where my Oakley$$$ are all the time.  If I break or lose them, I'm only gonna be bummed that I have to wait two weeks to get new ones.

I figured I would share this with the class since I know I'm not alone in the world of blurry things.  These glasses are game changers for me, and I'm once again seeing the trail in a much less dangerous manner.

I have no problem giving them my...

SEAL OF SEMI-APPROVAL

I'm not too thrilled about endorsing the whole "buying direct from China" thing, but in this case... c'mon.  Other than Oakley, how many other sports eyewear brands are manufactured in the US?  Until somebody decides to make some reasonably priced prescription riding glasses, I'll be a loyal Zenni customer.

And because... burrito... and Lloyd Bridges.


3 comments:

Ref said...

Been using Zenni since just before TSE. Rad to have affordable spectacle options. Now I gotta start shopping the kids section like you because 4.3 apples.

Fat Bike Racer said...

I new a few years of reading this blog would pay off!

Unknown said...

The lead they use really does make a difference!