Bronc riders are on for eight seconds, not navigating a horse around a course of fences.
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This whole thing has gotten super weird. I certainly didn’t expect a debate regarding safety and risk 
True COTH fashion, going on a semi-related tangent that wasn’t asked for.
I mean, god forbid I ask what hunt coat is in these days, what brand of boot has the highest cut Spanish top, or gasp what helmet brand (assuming it fits) has the most flattering look. In a world of paying disgusting amounts of money to be judged by others, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good while doing it. 
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JFC people.
I’m not saying to not wear them if you need them, or even LIKE them.
I’m saying to make sure they’re as safe as possible because your average eyewear is not rated for impact. Fashion should come second to that.
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Super weird - it is like some folx don’t understand that technology has surpassed what they are currently aware of…
yes, glasses were a somewhat significant risk in the case of a fall or impact before technology mitigated the risk so much that it is negligible, especially compared to the relative risk of riding (a horse, mountain bike, dirt bike, skiiing, sailing, etc.) with anything less than PERFECT vision, which is such a small subset of the human population.
not to be that disabled person who claims ableism, but holy frick this thread got weirdly into that territory… especially considering Over 61% of the population or 177 million people in the United States need some sort of vision correction according to Jobson Research.
I think enough of the responses clarified that they were NOT recommending fashion lenses. I do have a pair that don’t look like sporty shit that meet all my aforementioned safety stipulations, but they aren’t cheap (nearing $2k a pair, but they’re a medical device covered by FSA/ HSA!)
Sorry, just confused. You’ve changed your stance as the thread has progressed.
(I have no idea why we are getting onto a bronc riding tangeant… but…)
It has nothing to do with “looking cool”. Sunglasses, or regular eyeglasses for that matter, would fly off your face during a bronc ride, so you also do not see these guys wearing any kind of eyeglasses whatsoever. If they need vision correction, they’re either going without it for 8 seconds or they are wearing contact lenses. They lose their hat a lot of the time too, especially bareback riding.
It would obviously be the safer choice to to wearing a helmet with a face guard, like many of the bull riders now wear. Perhaps the helmets will one day trickle into bronc riding. (The vests did!)
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Wowzers. What brand is that?
Some of our Oakleys and Wileys can get pretty spendy with some custom add-ons and when dealing with progressives, but I can’t say they’ve hit over $2,000
So you’ve got me curious!
Sounds like you are part of the snazzy prism club too? 
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You nailed it! I am part of prism club (most of the time, occasionally they stop working or I need to have the prism adjusted), but also my disability makes one eye dramatically different than the other eye and they “age” differently too. so annoying.
I have a bunch of add-ons which is where most of the cost comes from:
- frames (usually 500ish sometimes more)
- Rx weirdness (another 500-700 - I often have to get these “done” more than once as my disorder presents wildly differently in patients and sometimes an Rx stops working for me depending on other symbiotic compensation habits (muscle development, fatigue, AGE, lol)
- random add ons such as transitions / coatings (I have ones for overcast days / repel water / low light conditions for indoor/ winter riding) often combined in the same pair…
AND I wear “Asian” cut Men’s (that is how the SKU is labeled) - which is another layer of cost / annoyingness to find
so cool to encounter someone who knows about prisms - that is also the killer on cost - I’ve seen that Rx go up to 1,500 excluding frames and add-ons!
frame brand example: https://www.assos.com/us/zegho-g2-interceptor-black-186160.html
I’ve moved on from these as they’re not rated for safety for downhill MB, which is my preferred threshold of safety requirements.
My prescription also includes prism correction for double vision plus considerably astigmatism.
The labs don’t always get it all right and they have to send them back at times, once twice more.
My last lenses, the same titanium frames for some years now, cost $600+ each, the ones for outdoors with transition coating added and the indoors/reading ones with the larger bifocal area.
I know plenty here that need prism correction, is not that rare.
I have posterior scleritis and cannot handle bright light in any capacity. I wear rx sunglasses every minute of every day, often including when I’m inside the barn or under a covered arena. I need as much coverage as possible, so sports glasses typically don’t cut it. Anything that creates pressure around the eyes hurts like crazy, so I ride in my huge bug eye glasses. Does it look great? Nope. Do I care? Also nope. And it’s certainly never affected my performance!
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You snipped my comment.
I’m not coming out of left field, here’s an article talking about the risk, from H&H. Again, this thread was about looks and fashion, not safety. Sure you can minimize the risk - but it’s still a risk…
“The biggest risk to consider when riding in glasses is what happens if they fall off or if you fall off while wearing them. There are sports-specific frames available, while lenses should have appropriate toughening to reduce the risk of them shattering should they sustain a direct impact. Your optometrist can advise you.”
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Perhaps! In my age demographic (early 30s) very few folks have them that I know, but maybe people don’t talk about it (invisible disability except for my SLIGHTLY uneven pupils - I have dark eyes, most people don’t notice I am disabled because I compensate by moving my head vs eyes and don’t disclose it unless asked directly - or they see me try to walk down marble stairs in low light - Europe was rough on me at times!). Cars now park themselves, that was also another giveaway before technology made me more capable.
I have Duane’s - which also is medically rare - about 1 in 10,000, but my specific Rx is significantly more rare than that as Duane’s presents extremely differently across cases.
Yep! That article is talking about the risks of fashion glasses and because it is a horse online magazine, they cannot comment on the medical and safety concepts surrounding for sport / combat glass frames and lenses
I think we’ve all collectively agreed that fashion glasses that aren’t safety rated for impact / shatterproof etc are stupid as hell to wear to look cool or to merely avoid avoid bright light & wear them at your own risk.
Safety rated sunnies / rx glasses are great for those who need Rx or cannot tolerate contacts/ bright light etc.
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Sun exposure is a leading cause of cataracts! Maybe we should all be wearing them more…
(Coming from my father-law- cataract surgeon, it is one of the best things you can do for your eyes)
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I was wearing Rokas when my horse tripped in front of a jump, stumbled and face planted through it, and I flew off and skid ON my face for a good 10’ in the arena. The glasses were unharmed and protected my eyes/eyelids from accumulating dirt/footing. The hand not so lucky (broken), and my mouth also unlucky (12 stitches to sew my inner lip back on 
), and of course, a concussion. I count my lucky stars, considering I did a head plant into the sand and walked away. Horsey was okay too, ended up with a small hematoma on his head. Phew!
I have always worn sport sunglasses while riding/showing (AO hunters/Eq/Medals); I literally cannot see outside without sunglasses!!
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YESSS this brand is on my list for my next pair after I see my doctor early next year!
Do you have them?!
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Hard to tell, but I kept my Oakley M-frames on! They almost acted like a scuba mask as I submarined.
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Wait, isn’t that what’s going on here? An optometrist is advising us? But you are arguing against them? It’s confusing.
On a side note, I would think that if I smashed my face into a fence while wearing safety glasses, I might be better protected. A lot of sports intend to fall with glasses and strap them to their head to keep them on for safety.
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Dang, you are surfing that horse.
Glad you like Oakleys because it’s what I use as well.
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No I am not arguing with her, that’s what so annoying to me.
This thread is about sunglasses that look good which sparked my “whoa that can be dangerous, and is a risk” comment. Cue everyone saying they wear sunglasses (which is fine, but they should be impact rated, not your average Ray Ban aviators).
All I was saying is it is risk to put a piece of plastic on your face when you can get nailed with a sledge hammer. If you’re going to do that at least make sure they’re rated for max safety everything, fashion be damned.
