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>Home >Prescription sports eyewear >Buyer's guide

Here we give advice on a range of important factors to consider when buying prescription sports eyewear.

Key factors to consider are:

Which sport(s) you want to use the eyewear for
Whether the style and fit of the eyewear is right for you
The power of your prescription
Whether you prefer Direct Glaze or Rx insert eyewear

Please ensure that you have read and understood our Delivery and Returns policy before placing your order for prescription eyewear.

We provide the option for all our prescription eyewear to buy the frames initially to check them for fit and style and then ordering the Rx lenses separately.

If, after reading our buyer’s guide, you need further assistance, do not hesitate to contact Eyewear Accessories for help.

Which sport do you want your eyewear for?

Before investing in sports eyewear, it is well worth considering your range of requirements carefully and selecting where possible, one piece of eyewear with the versatility to adapt to your different sporting and leisure needs.

See our list of eyewear by sport or continue reading for more advice

Most of the eyewear in our store is versatile so that it can be used with a range of sports. Several of the models are specifically designed to be multi-functional, with interchangeable lenses for different sports and light conditions, removable gaskets, and the option to wear them with either a headband or temple bars.

One of the most versatile multi-function models of eyewear that we sell is the RX TAC-3, illustrated below. This can be used as a goggle, with headband and gasket fitted, or as a pair of sport sunglasses with temple bars.

The multi-function RX-TAC3

Sports that require impact protection

For sports where there is a significant risk of injury to the eyes from impact from a ball, racquet, bat, or contact with a person, a flying or stationary object, it is important to choose eyewear that is designed with a high level of impact protection.

In this category, we would include:

ball sports such as squash, basketball, football, and cricket
extreme sports such as skiing, mountain biking, and rock climbing
extreme water sports such as kite surfing, wind surfing, and kayaking

For these sports, choose eyewear that has shatterproof polycarbonate lenses and a light, bendy, strong frame made from TR-90. The best all rounders for impact protection are the Dixon RX-2 and the Dixon RX TAC-3. For indoor ball sports, we recommend the Iara goggles.

Iara squash goggles

Choosing the right lens tints

Many of the models in our store are available with an interchangeable range of tinted lenses so that they can be used indoor or outdoor in different light conditions, for example, the multi-function RX-2 eyewear, illustrated below.

Shown below: The range of lenses available with RX-2 eyewear

Certain models in our store are supplied with specific lens tints that are recommended for a particular sport.

For example, the Scratch Pro range of golf eyewear illustrated below have a mirror tinted green lens, which is shown to be best for seeing the ball in flight clearly in bright conditions while the Dixon snow glasses have a 90% tint to protect the eyes from snow blindness when trekking and glacier walking. If you are choosing eyewear for water sports or fishing, you should select eyewear with a polarized lens.

Scratch Pro golf sunglasses

Glacier snow glasses

For guidance on selecting the best tints for your needs, see our Lens tint guide.

Comfort

Factors to consider include how long you will be wearing your eyewear for, the weather conditions in which you will be wearing it, and how hot and sweaty you get when you are playing your sport.

For high energy and extreme water and winter sports, choose eyewear that has features to minimise fogging, such as vented frames and an anti-fog coating. You may also prefer to have a model that can be worn as a goggle with an adjustable head strap, to ensure that your eyewear remains firmly in place when you are running about.

Some of our eyewear models have soft foam gaskets that can be fitted to provide a windproof seal around the eye socket. This feature helps to keep wind and debris out of your eyes and can be ideal for winter sports, mountain biking, and for dry eye sufferers.

Dixon RX-1 glasses/goggles with removable gasket

Practical design features

For certain sports, specialised design features are required to ensure their effectiveness. For example, the Manteray water sports goggles have special intake vents to prevent fogging, and stainless steel hinge pins that do not deteriorate with regular salt water immersion.

Manteray water sports goggles

Will the eyewear fit me and suit my face?

If you are unsure about the fit, styling, or suitability of a particular model of eyewear, you may wish to try on the frames first. If you are happy with the eyewear, you can return it and order the prescription version. With some products, you may be able to order just the prescription lenses and insert them yourself.

If you are not happy with the eyewear based on trying the frames, you can return it to us for a refund subject to the terms of our Returns policy.

Due to the unique nature of a custom made prescription lens, any prescription work undertaken cannot be credited and is exempt from our guarantee. Should the lenses we have supplied be faulty, the work will be made good.

Is the eyewear suitable for my prescription?

For each model of prescription eyewear we give a general guideline as to the maximum power of prescription it will accept.

Direct glaze eyewear is limited to prescriptions up to + or - 4.0, while Rx insert lenses can normally accommodate higher power prescriptions up to + or - 8.0.

However, for SPH values over + or - 4.0 and CYL values above + or - 3.0 it is always best to check first with us that your preferred model will be suitable for your prescription before ordering.

If in doubt about the suitability of particular lenses or eyewear for your prescription, we advise getting the opinion of your eye doctor before placing your order.

Direct glaze or RX insert?

Another key factor influencing your choice of prescription eyewear is whether you prefer direct glaze or Rx insert models.

With direct glaze eyewear, the prescription lens is glazed directly in the frame. As a result, your prescription sports glasses or goggles will look exactly like non-prescription ones, so from an image perspective many people find this preferable to the Rx insert type, in which a prescription lens is clipped behind the sports lenses.

Rx insert eyewear has the advantage that you can have a range of inexpensive tinted lenses and interchange them depending on your activity and the weather conditions. You can also simply change the Rx insert lenses if your prescription changes, rather than having to purchase a whole new set of eyewear.

Rx lens on Pro Performance glasses

The best of both worlds is offered at a price by the RX TAC 3, stylish direct glazed eyewear for the serious sportsman with interchangeable prescription lenses.