Cycling Vision: Contact Lenses, Glasses vs. Lasers – Which is Best?

Good vision is essential for cycling. Nearsightedness, farsightedness or presbyopia can cloud your view of the road and the bike computer. At the optician you can buy contact lenses, at the specialized sports optician the offer ranges from racing bike glasses with clip-ins to individually glazed sports glasses. Lasering is also possible, but it is not suitable for everyone and, depending on the method, is relatively expensive. Experts advise: first an ophthalmologist, then a sports optician – this is the best option for clear vision and more safety on the bike.

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 custom-made high-end glasses or surgical procedures. One thing is certain: Anyone who seeks advice will see clearly again more quickly – and experience the horizon and the numbers on the cycling computer as clearly as they should be.

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Professional cyclist Matej Mohorič first noticed it while driving at dusk. Contours blurred, street signs appeared 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 professional, Milan-San Remo winner in 2022 and Gravel World Champion in 2023, is known for his precise choice of lines and his ability to ride downhills at enormous speeds. But when his eyes no longer focused reliably, he realized he had to act. Today he rides with customized sports glasses from his sponsor – an aid that has given him back security and confidence.

What Mohorič experienced doesn’t just affect World Tour riders. Many amateur athletes also notice at some point that their eyesight is deteriorating. There are many reasons for this: Some people are naturally nearsighted and can see blurred distances. Others are farsighted and have to concentrate more to see 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 up close. What often works in everyday life quickly becomes a risk on the bike and in traffic in general. The view must constantly switch between distance and near, obstacles must be recognized early, and the bike computer must be readable at a quick glance.

A sharp image is only created in the eye when light rays meet exactly on the retina. From a physical point of view, the eye works like a highly complex optical system: the cornea takes over most of the refractive power, the lens finely adjusts 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 does a clear visual impression arise in the brain. Any deviation in this interaction leads to a form of ametropia.

With nearsightedness (myopia), the eyeball is usually too long or the refractive power is too strong. The image is created in front of the retina – the distance is blurred, while the near works well. The opposite is the case with farsightedness (hyperopia): the eyeball is too short or the refractive power is too weak, the image would lie behind the retina. Young people can often compensate for this with the flexible lens, but this takes energy and leads to rapid fatigue.

As we age, the appearance of the eye continues to change. The lens loses elasticity and its ability to accommodate (change the curvature of the lens) decreases. This age-related farsightedness (presbyopia) affects practically everyone over the age of around 40. Proximity becomes blurred, reading becomes laborious, and looking at displays while cycling becomes increasingly difficult.

In addition, age-related changes such as clouding of the lens (incipient cataracts) can reduce contrast and make it difficult to see in changing lighting conditions.

All of these forms of ametropia have different causes, but lead to the same result: the eye’s optical system no longer accurately depicts the world on the retina. Only through correction – whether glasses, contact lenses or surgical procedures – will the image be moved back to where it belongs.

What is crucial is that for each form of ametropia there are different ways and means of correcting it. Many cyclists get along well with the combination of contact lenses and sports glasses. It offers the usual field of vision and is hardly restrictive. Disadvantages of this optical duo: Sweat, dust or rain can contaminate or wash out the lenses; Many users, even long-time users, develop problems with dry eyes over time. Very high speeds can also cause unpleasant suction on the lenses.

Everyday glasses are rather unsuitable for sporty cycling. It is often very expensive and not robust enough for sports. Their relatively small, steeply positioned lenses offer little protection, slip quickly and are often out of the field of vision when you are in a sporty position. The gaze then moves over the top edge of the glasses. Depending on the fit of the frame, the eyes behind everyday glasses are also exposed to strong drafts.

Specially glazed sports glasses work much better. The most elegant – and most expensive – variant is individually cut lenses, such as single vision or progressive lenses. Brands such as Rudy Project, Evil Eye and Oakley offer corresponding models that cost from around 800 euros including glazing. The advantage: The field of vision is large, the optical quality is high, and the glasses fit the way they are intended for sports. Things get a little cheaper with the Performer from Deutsche Augenoptik GmbH, which also allows direct glazing and is priced below the big brands. If you want to invest less, you can use clip-in systems: small correction inserts that are clipped behind the large protective visor. They are available from around 300 euros including glasses. However, sweat or rain can penetrate between the lenses, and when you look to the side there is often a visible transition between the ground and unground area. Some people find this annoying, other users quickly get used to it.

Sports optics lecturer and master optician Jens Heymer says: “The desire for the best vision is enormous among cyclists. But not every visual impairment can be corrected with the laser – and not everyone is suitable for it.” He emphasizes that even after a successful treatment, sports glasses remain indispensable: “Airstream, UV radiation and small projectiles such as grains of sand can irritate or injure the eyes. Good glasses are always part of it.” His most important advice: “In the end, the ophthalmologist decides which measure is best for each individual. And a specialized sports optician ensures 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 eyes. Good glasses are always part of it. – Jens Heymer, sports optics lecturer and master optician

For people who are farsighted or have age-related ametropia with poor vision at close range, there are comparatively inexpensive adhesive lenses that can be inserted at the bottom of the lens in just a few steps. The distance view is not disturbed as long as the lenses or the pane are large enough to be able to see over them. Similar to progressive lenses