EyeBuyDirect's Blog

All ski lovers know now is prime time to head over to the slopes and enjoy some beautiful weather. The holidays are behind us, winter is still dropping from the sky, and the lift lines are not as crowded as they were a month ago.

This time of the year, most of us are buried at the office or the library so everybody is so busy that the resorts are empty and prices are dropping.

The time to renew our ski equipment and search for great deals is upon us, so here are some tips that will help you make the right purchases when it comes to optical protection:

The most important thing to consider if you ski with corrective lenses is whether or not you will be able to see properly, we don’t want you mistaking a rock for a mogul.

Here are a couple of possibilities for glasses wearers;

1. ‘Over the glasses’(a.k.a OTG) – The OTG technique is simply picking a large pair of goggles that can fit over your personal eyeglasses. If you chose this option, don’t forget to bring the pair of eyeglasses you are planning to ski with in order to try the two together and make sure they fit well.

2. Photochromic Goggles/Glasses- These intuitive lenses automatically adjust to the available sunlight making them ideal for uncertainty in the weather forecast. On overcast days the lens tints are medium to light, on sunny days they darken to a comfortable sunglasses tint, and once you head into the trees to find the untouched powder, they return to a clear tint*.

Due to the universal nature of these lenses, you can wear them from dawn to dusk and never have to take them off. Great for ski bum Halloween costumes!

3. Prescription Ski Goggles – These goggles are self-explanatory, replacing standard lenses with personalized lenses, making the best option for those wearing prescription eyeglasses. This combination gives you perfect vision with free comfortable movement. The lenses will stay in place and allow you optimal performance in the harshest environments. The inner lenses are interchangeable and you can always update it according to your needs.

All above three options are good; your decision depends on your personal needs.

Here are some ground rules you should keep in mind before making a decision on which specialty of goggles you prefer:

- Photochromic glasses vary depending on the sunlight conditions and the tint determines how well the contours of the mountain stand out. Usually brownish tints are the most popular and will work well in all levels of sunlight.

- Due to strong sun rays and their danger to the eye, UV protection is important and strongly advised to be added. Thread and its shape should be simple and not too big in order to fit on the helmet.

- Fog prevention is vital, especially for beginners that tend to fall frequently and experts tearing up the mountain on a beautiful spring day (sweat causes inner fog). In this case, an anti-fog coating would work great or a dual venting system (DVS) with upper and lower vents will optimize the air flow over the inside surface of the lens. This reduces fogging and provides fresh air for your eyes.

- A “V” nose lining provides a self adjusting and very comfortable fit around the nose without causing breathing problems.

- External lenses should be strong and always be scratch resistant.

Go extreme, enjoy your holiday, stay healthy – and protect your eyes!

* Photochromic compounds fade back to their clear state by a thermal process, the higher the temperature, the less dark the photochromic lenses will be. This thermal effect is called “temperature dependency” and prevents these devices from achieving true sunglass darkness in very hot weather. On the other hand, photochromic lenses will get very dark in cold weather conditions, which make them more suitable for snow skiers than beachgoers while outside.

** All EyeBuyDirect.com sport products include the above recommended elements.