Good vision is essential for cycling. Short-sightedness, long-sightedness or presbyopia can cloud your view of the road and bike computer. Opticians offer contact lenses, while specialised sports opticians offer everything from racing bike glasses with clip-ins to individually glazed sports glasses. Lasering is also possible, but is not suitable for everyone and is relatively expensive depending on the method. Experts advise: See an ophthalmologist first, then a sports optician - this is the best way to find the best option for sharp vision and greater safety on the bike.
There is no such thing as "the best solution"
Our conclusion on visual aids is clear: There are numerous ways to improve your vision on the bike today - from inexpensive adhesive lenses and clips to customised high-end glasses or surgical procedures. One thing is certain: if you seek advice, you will see clearly again more quickly - and experience the horizon and the numbers on the bike computer as clearly as they should be.
Professional cyclist Matej Mohorič first noticed it when driving at dusk. Contours became blurred, road signs looked milky and rapid changes in light increasingly irritated him. This feeling continued on the bike - especially on fast descents, changing weather or bright backlighting. The Slovenian pro, winner of Milan-San Remo 2022 and gravel world champion 2023, is known for his precise line choice and his ability to ride downhill at enormous speed. But when his eyes stopped focusing reliably, he realised he had to take action. Today, he rides with customised sports glasses from his sponsor - an aid that has given him back his safety and confidence.
Hobby drivers are also affected
What Mohorič experienced does not only affect World Tour riders. Many amateur athletes also realise at some point that their eyesight is deteriorating. There are many reasons for this: some people are naturally short-sighted and have blurred vision in the distance. Others are long-sighted and have to concentrate more in order to recognise details in time. And for many people, presbyopia sets in from their mid-forties - a completely normal process in which the lens loses its elasticity and it becomes increasingly difficult to focus at close range. What often still works in everyday life quickly becomes a risk on the bike and in road traffic in general. The view must constantly switch between far and near, obstacles must be recognised early and the bike computer must be readable at a glance.
Biological digression
A sharp image is only formed in the eye when light rays meet exactly on the retina. From a physical point of view, the eye functions like a highly complex optical system: the cornea provides most of the refractive power, while the lens makes fine adjustments and changes its shape to compensate for different distances. Only when the refractive power of the cornea and lens matches the length of the eyeball is a clear visual impression created in the brain. Any deviation in this interaction leads to a form of defective vision.
Myopia
With short-sightedness (myopia), the eyeball is usually too long or the refractive power is too strong. The image is formed in front of the retina - distance vision is blurred, while near vision works well. The opposite is the case with long-sightedness (hyperopia): The eyeball is too short or the refractive power is too weak, the image would be behind the retina. Young people can often still compensate for this with the flexible lens, but this takes effort and leads to rapid fatigue.
Presbyopia
The optics of the eye continue to change with increasing age. The lens loses its elasticity and its ability to accommodate (change the curvature of the lens) decreases. This presbyopia affects practically everyone over the age of 40. Close-up vision becomes blurred, reading becomes difficult and it becomes increasingly difficult to look at displays when cycling.
Incipient cataract
In addition, age-related changes such as clouding of the lens (incipient cataracts) can reduce contrast and make it difficult to see in changing light conditions.
All of these forms of defective vision have different causes, but lead to the same result: the optical system of the eye no longer displays the world exactly on the retina. Only through correction - whether glasses, contact lenses or surgical procedures - is the image shifted back to where it belongs.
The decisive factor is that there are different ways and means of correcting each form of defective vision. Many cyclists get on well with a combination of contact lenses and sports glasses. They offer the usual field of vision and are hardly restrictive. Disadvantages of this optical duo: sweat, dust or rain can contaminate or wash out the lenses; many, even long-term users, develop problems with dry eyes over time. Very high speeds can also cause unpleasant suction on the lenses.
Contact lenses and glasses
Everyday glasses are rather unsuitable for sporty cycling. They are often very expensive and not robust enough for sport. Their relatively small, steep lenses offer little protection, slip quickly and are often outside the field of vision when in a sporty position. The gaze then wanders over the upper edge of the glasses. Depending on the fit of the frame, the eyes behind everyday glasses are also exposed to strong draughts.
Specially glazed sports glasses work much better. The most elegant - and most expensive - option is customised lenses, such as single-vision or varifocal versions. Brands such as Rudy Project, Evil Eye and Oakley offer such models, which cost from around 800 euros including lenses. The advantage: the field of vision is large, the optical quality is high and the glasses fit the way they are intended for sport. The Performer from Deutsche Augenoptik GmbH, which also offers direct glazing and is priced below the major brands, is slightly cheaper. If you want to invest less, you can opt for clip-in systems: small corrective inserts that are clipped behind the large protective visor. They are available from around 300 euros including goggles. However, sweat or rain can penetrate between the lenses, and when looking to the side there is often a visible transition between the ground and unground areas. Some people find this annoying, while other users quickly get used to it.
This is what Jens Heymer, master optician and lecturer in sports optics, says
Sports optics lecturer and master optician Jens Heymer says: "The desire for the best vision is enormous among cyclists. But not every visual defect can be corrected with the laser - and not everyone is suitable for it." He emphasises that even after successful treatment, sports glasses are still essential: "Wind, UV radiation and small projectiles such as grains of sand can irritate or injure the eye. Good glasses are always a must." His most important advice: "In the end, the ophthalmologist decides which measure is best for the individual. And a specialised sports optician will ensure that the solution also works on the bike."
Note: even after a successful laser eye treatment, sports glasses remain indispensable:
Wind, UV radiation and small projectiles such as grains of sand can irritate or injure the eye. Good glasses are always a must. - Jens Heymer, sports optics lecturer and master optician
Adhesive lenses: a favourable alternative
For farsighted people or those affected by age-related defective vision with visual impairment at close range, there are comparatively inexpensive adhesive lenses that can be inserted into the lower edge of the spectacle lens in just a few simple steps. Distance vision is not impaired as long as the lenses or the disc are large enough to see over them. Similar to varifocals
Matthias Borchers
Editor
