I'm now at the age (46) where I have started to need reading glasses to see fine detail. These are only +1.25 at the moment.
It is becoming apparent that this may be an issue when riding in unfamiliar areas as I am finding it harder to see the details on the screen of my GPS or Garmin and on my paper map prints. It would be a shame that I am now probably the fittest I've ever been but being held back by not being able to find my way
I usually wear clear glasses when riding and only need my prescription lenses to read fine details so I'd have to swap over glasses each time to use them.
Without wishing to cause offence I think some of you may also be of advancing years, so does anyone else have a similar problem and if so what do you do?
I got a pair of cheap ones from Asda for when out and about. Less than a tenner from memory. I only need them for reading, keep them in either a stem cell or bar bag. The time "wasted" in having to get them out is more than compensated by the time not being lost.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
I wear bi focals for day to day use but my distance vision is borderline for driving so I don't strictly need them for distance. Close up is a different story. Not wanting to take my expensive bi focals I take a pair of very cheap reading glasses with the smallest lenses I can find and wear them like half frame glasses. Pound shops are your best bet, funnily enough the ones I get are £2.
If you really need full glasses an optician would make you a plain lens with a lower reading lens.
Some of my 'prescription' glasses actually come from the pound shop, the posh pair I have the wife bought for me from Asda for Christmas last year I refuse to pay optician prices for glasses as it's money that could be spent on bikes and I'm also still in denial that I need them
I'll have to pack a pair for when I'm riding and need to navigate then. As you say it's probably quicker overall to swap glasses than to be lost It's also an excuse to break out the sewing machine and make a dedicated glasses holder to attach to me front harness.
I use bi focal safety glasses when riding with my garmin. I think less than £10. You get used to the lower little window that gives the magnification and peer along your nose to use it when needed. Somewhere here originally posted, I think I got them via Amazon.
Dual Eyewear are great, since buying mine they've brought out a transitions model. They're a bit difficult to find in the UK but Wiggle might be an option. Website is http://www.dualeyewear.com/cycling-sport.html they do have a UK importer whose name escapes me but the same company sell several cycling brands so it may be worth enquiring at your LBS.
Cheers. The wife had suggested bifocals but it never occurred to me that they'd make bifocals that were also safety glasses or riding glasses They sound like just the thing. I have to wear safety glasses when on site for work and reading my tape measure and making notes was getting to be a bit of a strain on the eyes so the safety glasses would also solve that. As an added bonus I can get work to pay for the site use ones so I can test the concept before I splash out.
I'm definitely in the reading glasses age range. Typically I'll have a cheapo pair hidden somewhere, not just for actual reading but also for small repairs and adjustments to bike or kit when out and about.
I'd not thought about bi-focals at all - I don't need glasses at all for distance work (riding or driving) so only need readers. Cheap pair from Asda/Smiths/Aldi - several pairs for the bike/home/work/car at less than a tenner is fine here.
Rudy Project Rydons take prescription lenses...just how you go about getting them made I couldn't say. The weight weenie in me says carry a monocle in your jacket pocket for those quick reading situations. :)
My wife got me a pair of folding Foster Grant reading glasses which I leave in my biking backpack. I need them for map reading these days (although I'm fine for longer distance vision). They're really handy. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quailty-Telesc ... nt+reading
I wore them for the first time on an overnighter on Friday and what a revelation. My distance vision was unaffected as the top of the lens is just a normal clear safety lens but when I looked down at the Garmin/Etrex I could read the screen clearly with ease I'd recommend them to anyone with a similar vision issue.
If you want something more serious then sports Verifocals will give you better transition between reading and riding than bifocals. If you can get reaction tints applied to then they really will be all rounders for sports, driving or even daily where you'll be needing a reading ad'
Not too expensive and they pay for themselves in being the only pair you'll need for changing conditions.
Source: My fiancé is a lab technician at an Opticians and makes thousands of glasses a week. If you need any more advice I'll ask her for more info.
I refuse to pay optician prices for glasses as it's money that could be spent on bikes and I'm also still in denial that I need them 
It's also an excuse to break out the sewing machine and make a dedicated glasses holder to attach to me front harness.
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