off the beaten path glasses vs contacts question
 

Well I've been autocrossing on and off for I guess 2 years now . started doing it more regularly now that the car is running ,

But i've always had kind of an issue with my glasses fitting the glasses into the helmet they get a bit contorted and tend to break .


as i gotta go get new glasses soon * being held together with epoxy right now *

I'm curious because another racer told me to use contacts , now I had never even thought of this as I have never used them , and well I've always been afraid they would pop out during hard braking or something haha

but I was told I'd get better peripheral vision and so on .

I'm nearsighted and not use glasses for anything but driving and watching Tv

So I'm curious if any of you more experienced racers have any opinions on this .

I know its completely off the normal beaten path . so sorry if this was in the wrong section or wrong forum haha , feel free to delete this if it is

( I have been searching on the google for an answer and keep getting mixed reviews from people . )

I wear my contacts everyday. Even on the track. I have worn glasses while wearing the helmet and it is uncomfortable and can distort your vision.

Thank you , What are your opinions on hard or soft contacts?

For autocrossing, contacts are fine. Soft contacts would be best. However, I have found that for anything longer than an autocross run, my contacts tend to dry out as I am not blinking as much. Then when I blink they get moved around and sometime get stuck in my eyelid or come out completely.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-conten...n_daven_07.jpg


Contacts are fine for track/racing. The main thing to keep in mind is keeping your eyes lubricated since you'll be running with your windows down (and that's with or without contacts). There are professional race drivers who where glasses while racing so it's not out of the question. You just need a helmet with a wide viewing range and glasses which will work in that setting.

Ive always heard (and seen on television) that most professional racers wear glasses, because the fast pros almost never blink when they are on the track, especially in traffic. Not blinking is of course bad with contacts because they dry out then get moved around next time you blink. They even talked about this at length during the daytona 24 this year. Literally they had in car of ricky taylor and he didnt blink for like 4 full laps of daytona.

I have had this trouble quite often on track with contacts. This reminds me i need new glasses.

I don't think it is as much of an issue with shorter sessions and autocross. Not enough time to cause a problem. I am usually ok if i hit them with some drops just prior to a short (15-20min) DE session. But, i have had issues.

Never had a problem with my contacts at the track but I also always run with the visor down. I also carry an extra set and eye drops in my track bag.

Same as Mark above. I've had poor vision all my life. glasses since about 8yrs old, and contacts for the last 25 years..
I wore contacts every day for every thing.. (well, except swimming. even then I took my chances if they were old..)

at the track, I tried glasses a few times- I had a pair that would fit inside my helmet- and I didn't like the distortion over my contacts- it messes with your depth perception as well as reduces peripheral vision.

Even when I was just doing track days with an open face helmet, I never had a problem with dry contacts or blowing out--- if they do that, then your contacts don't fit right and you need to either switch lenses or switch doctors. Eye docs that tell you "they just do that" don't want to take the time to find the RIGHT contact to fit your eyes.
After ~15 yrs of wearing contacts and having them pop out or move around in my eye, I finally found the right doctor that put me in the proper astigmatism lenses, and the comfort level went WAY up, I was able to see better, and my prescription was much lower strength. Because of all of that, my eyes actually got a small amount better, needing less correction for the next couple years.

....Then finally I broke down and got LASIK last fall and have been happy as a clam. 20/15 vision in both eyes.. No glasses to try and find every morning when I roll out of bed, no contacts falling in the sink, bottles of solutions, constant eye infections, blah blah blah...

anyway, yes.. I raced with glasses a few times in the last few years and hated it compared to contacts. no, you will not have a problem with your contacts blowing out if/when you blink. just remember to blink regularly. yes, you can do it. no it will not slow you down.

i blink when I brake LOL

I wear (sun) glasses with a helmet and am quite happy. I have a good pair of sunglasses that wrap around a bit so the peripheral vision is good (unlike the bifocal transitions which have poor peripheral vision). My sunglasses have pretty straight temples so they are easy to get on with the helmet on. Would it be too weird to take your helmet with you to the optometrist to try on glasses?

I've never tried contacts, it's good to hear that they work well for auto-X.

Re the sunglasses - the straight bowed variety such as many Oakley's are easy to wear under a helmet.

Wearing sunglasses also keeps the wind out of your eyes.