Written by Reese Jones

People who want to get into running face many obstacles if they wear prescription glasses. You’re continuously in danger of your eyewear bouncing off your face. It is harder to run in bad weather —while you can prep most of your clothing, the wet and the wind will affect your specs. To solve this, some opt to leave their specs at home or utilise contacts. Yet those situations aren’t ideal either. Opting out of your eyewear results in blurry vision, jeopardising your safety on the road, while contact lenses can expose your eyes to risks like vision-impairing diseases or dryness.

Fortunately, your options don’t end there. You can also use eyewear specialised for sports activities to grant you the best versatility and acuity while exercising. Here’s how you can use that eyewear to guarantee your glasses don’t stop you from going on runs.

Why you need prescription running eyewear

It’s entirely possible to manage your vision correction needs to allow you to run with ease. You can use prescription sunglasses, which give you UV ray protection, eye protection, and visual clarity. They’re available in a variety of tints, lens options, and shapes, ensuring that there’s always something for your running needs—you just need to know what to look for. It is best to buy them from premium athletic brands like Oakley or Puma. Make sure you find a pair that’s right for you.

How to choose the best prescription running eyewear

Pick the right design.

The first thing you want to consider for your running eyewear is how well it fits on your face. Sports sunglasses that are too loose may fly off while you’re jogging. Conversely, you don’t want a pair that feels too tight or leaves temple marks on the side of your face. Choose sunglasses that are snug but not to the point of clinching.

Other aspects of the frame design can add to your running sunglasses’ security. You’ll want the sunglasses’ frame material to be lightweight and durable, like nylon or Oakley’s O Matter so that they last a long time. You’ll also want to look for rubber grips on the nose pads and temple tips to keep your shades from slipping when you sweat. For another safety feature, you can also add a strap to your sunglasses.

Choose the best lens technology

Prescription sunglasses can offer you complete eyesight protection. UV rays are the primary threat when you go outside to run—even in cloudy weather, the harmful radiation can spread and damage your eyes—but your shades can block them out. To optimise this, find a pair with a UV protection rating of UV 200, which can block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

The next threat is sun glare, which occurs when sunlight bounces off reflective surfaces and hits your eyes. For this, you’ll want polarised lenses, which carry a polariser that dims or subverts incoming light. You can also have lenses with tint colours like amber, which enhance contrast and depth perception so you can enjoy your surroundings more while jogging. Finally, you may want to consider sunglasses with anti-fog and water-repellant coatings for running when it’s hot, humid, or rainy.

How to maintain running eyewear

Don a sweatband.

The best way to keep your sunnies secure and dry is to prevent sweat from reaching them in the first place. Wear a sweatband that can absorb your perspiration before it gets to your glasses.

Wipe your sunglasses after every run.

You won’t be able to shield your sunglasses completely from moisture. Over time, however, that wetness can deteriorate your shades. To keep them in good shape for as long as possible, wipe every inch of your sunglasses down with a microfiber cloth after your runs. Every so often, you might also want to wash your sunglasses with a lotion dish soap to remove sweat stains.

The fact that you wear glasses doesn’t have to stop you from running. Get the proper exercise eyewear, and you’ll have no problem jogging and seeing clearly.