When skiing or snowboarding down snow-covered slopes, skiing goggles are essential for protecting your face from the elements and helping your eyes adjust to a snowy landscape. Being able to see the hill in front of you is essential for avoiding an accident when skiing, but without the proper eyewear, the reflection of sunlight off the snow can make it near impossible to see. For people who have poor vision, it can be uncomfortable to wear regular glasses underneath their goggles, which is where prescription skiing goggles come into play.
Choosing the Right Lenses
When shopping for prescription ski goggles, it is important to find lenses that are designed to minimize glare and increase contrast as you ski. Polarized lenses help reduce eye fatigue and increase visibility by blocking the glare that comes off the snow. Photochromic lenses adjust to changes in light conditions, helping you maintain optimal sight as you move through shady or bright areas. You also want to consider the color of your lenses depending on the weather outside. While darker tints have a low visible light transmission for sunny days, lighter lenses offer increased VLT which can help increase contrast on darker or overcast days.
Keeping Fog at Bay
Fogging is an issue for all types of snow sports and occurs due to warmth and moisture within the goggles meeting the colder surface of the lens. Reducing moisture within prescription skiing goggles is essential for clearly seeing the landscape in front of you. Look for eyewear treated with an anti-fog solution and proper ventilation to best combat perspiration building up on the inside of your lenses.
Prescription Skiing Goggles FAQs
Are there prescription ski goggles
Depending on the shape and curve of the frame, there are custom prescription goggles for ski available. However, most people use goggles with prescription lens inserts, which are safer, more comfortable and better at minimizing fog than wearing regular glasses underneath goggles. You will need to ensure the lenses are compatible with the goggles before purchasing.
Can you get prescription snowboard goggles?
Both skiing and snowboarding use the same type of snow goggles to enhance performance and offer protection. While you can have some snowboard goggles altered to take certain prescriptions, it is often less expensive and convenient to purchase goggles that have special inserts for entering prescription lenses.
Can you wear glasses under ski goggles?
While many people will wear glasses underneath their ski goggles, this is not ideal. People often feel uncomfortable wearing two types of eyewear, and glasses are more likely to fog-up, obscuring your vision. If you choose to go this route, make sure to choose goggles large enough to accommodate your glasses.
Can you ski with glasses?
It is never a good idea to ski without goggles on. Not only do goggles increase visibility and reduce glare while you ski, but they also help block wind and snow and protect your face in case of falls or collisions. Additionally, most goggles offer adequate UV protection from the sun.
What color lens is best for ski goggles?
The right color lens depends on the weather and time of day. On very bright days with clear skies, brown, gray, or copper tints are best. Lighter colors such as yellow, gold, rose, or amber are preferred on cloudy or dark days. Clear lenses are ideal for skiing at night. Finding the right pair of prescription skiing goggles makes a huge difference when participating in this extreme winter sport. Cold weather and reflective snow can make it difficult to see, which is why the right eyewear is imperative. Fortunately, with prescription lens inserts even people with impaired vision can comfortably ski or snowboard while clearly seeing the path slopes ahead.
