Runners who wear glasses - running in the rain?

AsellusReborn

My husband wears glasses and when it rains it's kills him, he can't see. He's at the point where for training runs he won't even try and he almost ditched a race on Sunday because it rained. He brings a cloth but if the rain lasts it becomes useless, and he can't run with his glasses off to wipe them.

I figure he can't be the only one dealing with glasses in the rain - are there some secret tricks we're not aware of?

Thanks!

EDIT: Oops, forgot to mention. Contact lenses aren't an option for him - I forget why, but he's said they don't work for him.

Mommakat24

This is probably a stupid question, but has he tried contacts? I wear glasses too, I have contacts but I don't use them when working out, I should because I sweat under them and its so gross.

Lochlyn_D

Yes. they're called contact lenses. Some people just use a hood I guess.

sharitapita

There are also certain anti-reflective coatings for eyeglass lenses that make the rain bead up rather than streak across the lenses - kind of like RainX does for your car windshield. I don't know how expensive his lenses are, but perhaps that would be something to look into when he replaces his lenses in the future.

AsellusReborn

Oops, I forgot to mention contact lenses aren't an option for him. I'll edit the original post, thanks.

rayzerwolf

yeah I would suggest contacts if possible I recently switched and I love them for sports and driving at night, i noticed my night, dusk vision has drastically improved with contact lenses

TurtleRunnerNC

Has he tried a baseball hat?

RunnerElizabeth

I wear a hat when it's raining, usually keeps my glasses from getting too covered. It is better to just wear my contacts. I have a friend that takes her glasses off when it rains. I can't do that.

kdub2051

I have the same problem. I find a visor pulled down low helps.

emily_ebooks

Contact lenses. That's going to be his best solution. I know contact lenses can be extremely expensive depending on his prescription and there's kind of a lengthy process for first time wearers (in NY, contact wearers have to get a contact lens evaluation every year, and first time wearers sit down and be taught a class on how to put contacts in and out, and then try out a trial pair of contact lenses for one week before getting boxes), but they're definitely worth the investment.

Depending on his prescription, it might be a better idea to purchase boxes online instead of going through your local optical office, but always make sure you have a valid contact lens prescription. (it's different from your glasses prescription and you're going to need proof of a valid exam if you shop online anyway)

I mean, the only other thing I can think of is that there are some very high end anti-reflective coatings that are water resistant, but they're kind of pricey and obviously they're not going to work very well if it's pouring.

I work at an optical office, and in my experience a lot of people interested in trying out contacts get them for sports.


EDIT: ahh I just noticed your edit! I would just recommend talking to your eye doctor about possible options. Again, a higher-end anti-reflective coating on his lenses will help, but it won't be perfect, and it usually starts at around $45ish (depending on your health insurance) for the coating.

AsellusReborn

He does run with a hat and says that helps for the rain that falls straight down - we ordered a wicking cap too so it doesn't end up absurdly water logged. At our half on Sunday it was a misty sort of rain so the hat didn't help much unfortunately.

I hadn't heard of the lense coating - I'll tell him to look into that.


Thank you all for the suggestions! I'm relieved we weren't missing something obvious! He's training for the Chicago Marathon in October and I've been fretting about what happens if it rains that day. He says he'd tough it out but I guess I was hoping for a magic solution.

pwnderosa

Move to Arizona? LOL this happened to me recently and I was totally unprepared/unthinking about it since it never rains here. I always wear prescription sunglasses while running, my vision is horrible and the last time I had contacts they were murder on my eyes, though it has been 8 years or so and they probably have better ones out there. I sympathize with your husband, I had to cut my run short that day because I was so blind! A visor or baseball cap could help, if it rains here again on a running day maybe I will try wearing my sombrero? Hahahah

FitToFifty

I also can't wear contacts because of a problem with tear film. Not the actual duct, but the film. I wear a hat pulled VERY low. I still get some spots, but it helps for the most part. If it is still really bad I would have him check into that rainx stuff - HOWEVER if he has anti-glare coating on his glasses have him check with the eyeglass store first.

emily_ebooks

You can tell if he has an anti-reflective coating on his lenses by the way they reflect light. If you hold them up to light and the glare is bright white, then he doesn't have the coating. If the glare has a greenish purple tint, then he has the coating.

If he doesn't, ask your eye doctor about Crizal Alizé anti-reflective. It's far easier to clean than almost any other anti-reflective coating, and that's probably important if he's going to be constantly cleaning them in the rain.

AsellusReborn

He does not have it - I will definitely email that name to him to ask about. Thank you! Even if it's expensive it might be worth trying. I am probably worrying more about this than he is but I want him to be as successful as possible in his training and hate something so silly pulling him down

coolraul07

Wipers?
Yes, this is an actual thing. I've never used, so can't swear to effectiveness.

AsellusReborn

Omg, I almost want to get those for him just to tease him! :laugh:

tikafly

I know it's not an option for some, but I just ditch my glasses during runs. I hate having them on my face when sweating.

juliegrey1

Ooooh God he has my sympathy!!!!!Exactly why mu running is on a threadmill,Im blind as a bath anyway!!!!!! I cant use contacts either!!!

danimal5867

Hat with the brim pulled low. I find it takes care of me in the rain. I still have to look through the drops but it is not that big of a problem. I find that misting is actually worse that real rain. The big drops will roll off but the mist just kinda sits there.

AsellusReborn

He said the same thing =/ On Sunday it alternated being misty rain with real rain, so he was really stuck. Still did well, but definitely tough.

sabolfitwife

Wear a hat???

destructor2013

I wear glasses as well, but I leave them off when I run as I prefer to wear sunglasses normally. If they start getting fogged up or what not, I just take them off temporarily.