Glasses in the rain

Would like to pick brains...

I am short-sighted enough to not be able to get around without wearing my glasses (let alone run without them) and would rather not spend a fortune on contact lenses. With the winter drawing in I am likely to be faced with running in the rain on a regular basis so am looking for tips on how other runners cope with this? I don't suppose anyone has found some little windscreen-wipers or similar??

Would live to hear how other people get round this.

Thanks :->
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Comments

  • I wipe my specs on my t shirt
    and run blind
    sorry
    :(

    a baseball cap has been said to help
  • I currently run with a cap on the rare occasions I venture out in the rain and it does slow down the rain-induced blur but I was hoping (probably in vain) for something that worked better.

    Are there any bright sparks out there good at inventing things? Looks like a gap in the market...
  • I eventually caved in and got daily disposable lenses.
    This was after:
    (i)a 10K race chosen solely because it was in an area I knew from years back, and wanted to see again, but couldn't because of bucketing rain, and
    (ii) narrowly missing running into a tree on a training run because glasses were so steamed up.

    It doesn't work out that expensive because I only wear them for running in the rain, ie not very often. The main problem is it takes ages getting them in and out because I get so little practice. But it is really great being able to see in the rain, and I'm sure has been a deciding factor for getting me out of the door on a wet day more than once.
  • Just read your profile, RachieJ. You sound similar to where I was at a couple of years ago, only despite good intentions I didn't keep running through that first winter after RFL.
    I strongly advise, if you haven't already, get youself a couple of races to work towards over the winter, another 10K or 10 miler or even HM. Having something to aim at works wonders for the motivation!
  • I never go out without my cap if there's the remotest chance of rain. Doesn't keep it all off but they stay dry enough to be able to see. I did the Baddow 10 a couple of months ago in what has to have been the worst rain I've seen in many years, vision was fine until I finished when my specs steamed up!

    Lenses aren't an option for me as my eyes are too dry.
  • stockport 10 on december 10th is a good one to aim for, i wear contacts daily disposables they cost £25 a month...i want to get laser treatment as soon as my eyesight stops getting worse!
  • my company makes a water repellent spray for motorbike visors, the product is called Salclear TT-X, www.salclear.com

    This could be used on your spectacles in heavy rain.

    For light rain and to stop fogging you should try Salclear Sport.

    In our testing programme I used prototypes of the above on spectacles and sunglasses whilst mountainbiking and running in all sorts of weather, and they proved perfect.

    I ran an ultra mountain race recently with the defog on my wrap around sunglasses, without fogging up to half way through the race, (3hrs for me), when the sun went in and I took the glasses off.
  • ..baseball cap here, I can't wear contact lenses...and if it's lashing I just take them off...it's quite exciting running blind!

    :0)


    why not try lenses, you can get montly disposable from £6 per month.

    Trying to work up the courage to have lasik!
  • I have lenses for inclement weather. A pack of 30 lasted nearly 2 years.
  • Definitely worth investing in contact lenses even if you only get a month's worth of dailies and just wear them for running in the rain, Rachie.

    A warning, though. I went into the opticians a few years ago with precisely that agenda, and believing, from past experience, that I "couldn't" wear contact lenses. I've been wearing contact lenses full time since then. I was hooked instantly.
  • daily disposables for me as well


    wear them to run/swim/bike and going out so a 3 month pack lasts me for ever and they are not expensive these days
  • I wear two weekly contacts. Like Vrap I was hooked instantly, they are fantastic.
  • Had contact lenses for many years but dry eyes have precluded use since.

    I use a baseball cap - a thing I wouldn't normally be seen dead in, but I make an exception when it comes to seeing where I'm going! After an old NB I got as a freebie - it was cotton and got saturated very quickly - I picked up a rain-resistant Nike one in Sweatshop and have been using it ever since.

    Despite my inability to use contact lenses, they were very good for running - not so good for cycling, however - I always seemed to get blurred vision whenever I tried to look behind me.
  • I ran today in the rain. Glasses got fogged up kept having to use fingers to clean them as am so shortsighted I daren't take em off,(for the sake of the other 15+ thousand people behind me). I used to wear contacts but have really dry eyes and sight too far gone for LASIK and they don't do daily disposables for my presecription. (am nearly as blind as my nickname) so am taking the plunge. Got an appointment with local SIte for Eyes to see whats on offer. Had enough of steamy glasses. Would recommend the contacts though. I really loved them when I could wear them. They are not that expensive. Specsavers pretty reasonable.
  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Even without the problem or rain, I sweat so much I couldn't imagine running in glasses for one second. (My prescription is -5.0 so bumping into trees/dogs/dodgy pavement slabs would be a serious issue!)

    I'd also recommend monthly disposable lenses which work out a lot cheaper than dailies.

    Have a look at www.getlenses.com. This is where I get mine from and it works out about 30-odd quid for 6 months' supply. If you don't wear them every day they'll last even longer.
  • Phil - mine's in excess of -7.5 so am really blind as the proverbial!! Apart from the dry eye issue torric lenses for my prescription are still flipping expensive!!! ;o(
  • Can you swim in contacts?

    I was going to look into lenses to save the the price of expensive custom sunglasses next summer.

    It would be great if I didn't have to spend cash on opti-goggles as well.
  • definitely contacts .... try monthly or daily disposible

    I swim in contacts ... but you must wear goggles!!
  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Yeah, I swim in contacts and an extremely comfy pair of Speedo goggles. I'm not sure what the professionals say about wearing contacts in chlorinated water and what-not but, s*d it, I've never had any problems.

    An old teacher of mine used to swim in prescription goggles!
  • I put my lenses in today for a long run as heavy showers were forecast. I'd not worn them for so long that I had to phone the optician to check which one was for which eye (as one eye has special astigmatic lens). Then it turned out to be lovely and sunny!! The vision in contacts was still better than glasses. I think I may wear them for my first marathon on Oct 15th, whatever the weather.

    You people who say you can't wear lenses because of dry eyes, etc, it may be worth double checking at the opticians if you haven't been recently. I thought I couldn't wear lenses after previously giving up with them years back but I am fine with a few hours wear of daily disposables:-)
  • limperlimper ✭✭✭
    Dave 0520 - thanks for the company plug on page 1. Ordered, received and tried with a matter of days - great service and product.

    I prefer to run in lenses but wear my specs for cycling and riding [which is speedier and I don't like the wind rush in my eyes with lenses in]. The anti-rain product helps a lot.
  • Gosh - so many replies!

    I used to wear contacts a few years ago (monthly disposables) but it was costing me around £40 a month for the privilege so I didn't really want to go back there. Never gave dailies a thought though as at the optician I used to go to they were even more expensive! Have compared a few prices now and have arranged a fitting with my new optician for some dailies - looks like the way to go. Thanks for all your stories/tips on this guys.

    For those of you who swim in contacts - you have got to be really careful with that. The chlorine perishes the lenses (not so much an issue with dailies) but the main risk is little bugs in the water (not too sure which one precisely so forgive the term "bug"). If they get into your eyes they can get themselves established behind the lens and do all sorts of nasty things to your cornea. If you do use them in water, take them out and throw/clean them thoroughly rather than continuing to wear them all day. A chap I know is still being treated in an eye hospital 8 months after he got bug-carrying water in his eyes behind his contact lenses...

    Runner-bean - thanks for the tip on carrying on running. I fully intend to stick with it :-> I started running in Feb (in the snow, dark & cold) and quite enjoyed it - I much prefered it to running when it was hot over the summer. Not sure I am fast enough yet for a "proper race" so will probably stick to the CRUK/RFL type stuff at the moment but my winter goal is to get my 5k and 10k times (currently 35 mins and 70 mins) down to something better so that will keep me busy :->
  • GavoGavo ✭✭✭
    I swim in prescription goggles - you can get them for about £25 from High St opticians. And I refuse to wear (vanity) lenses so running in rain is an issue for me. Baseball caps can help but it doesn't completely fix the problem.

    Might have a go at that anti-rain thing, just wish I'd read this thread before the LNM at the w/e.
  • Re Lasix: those considering might want to read this....

    [(the second part!)]
  • Limper, glad to be of service. Dont really like plugging our stuff in the forum, but I'm a runner and when the discussion is biased towards what we do, I try and help.

    I was the guinea pig in all of our product tests two years ago... lost 10kgs during the product development phase.
  • Contacts should be much cheaper than £40 a month - I pay about £14.

    Otherwise a cap is the way forward.
  • Is laser treatment okay if you need glasses for distance and close up?

    my monthly disposables are £24 for 3 months supply, and the solution is £9 a month

    you can always use daily disposables on the days you swim then just throw them away
  • I've got some Adidas Evil Eye Pro glasses with the clip in prescription insert and I find these are brilliant for running/biking in. The design sheds water (better the faster you go). I do tend to wear a cap too though.
  • About a year ago I discovered contact lenses you could sleep in - brilliant. I have dry eyes and they are fine. You take them out once a week overnight and then put a new pair in once a month. They cost about £15 a month including regular check ups.
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