specs lenses and sunglasses when sailing

I have prescription polarised lenses from these people who will put them on plain, single vision or varifocals (yes even mail order), extra cost is about £45. Their prices and service are excellent and half high street rip-offs. They also do the sports wraparound stuff at discounted prices with prescription lenses.
 
you mentioned polarizing lenses - these may have an effect on your ability to view LCD displays - the raymarine displays that I have must either be viewed horizontally or vertically - at any other angle the data 'disappear' from the screen due to the polarizing effect of the sunglasses
 
If you really want to save money (50%ish) and know what you want, I can recomend a company in Singapore that you can deal with via email.
 
Re the fitovers, you may be able to find a normal pair of sunglasses with all the optical pre-reqs that do fit over a pair of modern specs. I've been doing that in the car for years.
 
Interesting thread:

I am now at that stage in life when I have to admit that Mk1 eyeballs are not quite up to the task. Long distance is perfect, it is close focus that is becoming more of a problem these days. For the last ten years I managed with the minimum script lenses just for reading and computer work when my eyes became tired.

I prefer sunglasses from the better manufacturers as they are a neutral focus tinted lens, where as cheap sunglasses are just a bit of plastic which have distorted optics.

The best tip that I was ever given (many years ago), was when wearing any glasses on deck, was to clean them every ten minutes. Small amounts of salt spray quickly dry on any glasses greatly reducing visibility.
 
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Wraparound, polaroid?

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I have a pair of wraparound polaroid fitovers that I normally keep in the car. When needed it's a one hand job to put them on over my normal specs. Expensive, mind you; they cost me £10 at Southampton Boat Show about four years ago. They work just as well at sea, too.
 
I always wear polarised sunglasses either on board or to drive in. My sight is still OK without the prescription bit for sailing and it is really just for driving I wear them and on board mostly wear 'Strike King' fishing polarised glasses at $12.96/pair (£6.50) from good ol' Walmart USA. The Strike King have side pieces with lenses too so are good in the wind, I used to wear them for golf (prefer the prescription ones now) but SWMBO wears a pair over the top of her regular single vision glasses if she isn't wearing contacts or without the glasses if she is. The Walmart ones come with amber or grey lenses but I prefer the warmer amber tint which is also better for reading breaks on golf greens.

As far as reading instruments is concerned I have not had any problems with polarised but as I said my sight isn't that bad and I can look over the glasses if needs be to see an LCD screen. Our LCD radar is visible with them on,, but from greater range without.

One advantage of non-wraparound IMO is the flatter lenses might be less prone to distortion, which might account for (some) of the high cost of sports wraparounds like Bolle favoured by golfers with more money than me...
 
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