Glasses vs Contacts?

[un2xs]

I CAN wear contacts, but normally wear glasses. If wearing contacts again for the first time in a while I generally have to use eye drops at some point. I am near sighted in both eyes. My prescription has been stable for years. As a result, when I wear contacts I usually carry reading glasses for detail work/fine print. My job requires both eye pro an the ability to read fine print. So while I CAN wear contacts it has been a while.

It has been a while since I last stepped on a field. I did not have contacts back then. And it always seemed like one more safety level when playing.

If it matters, I prefer woodsball to speedball. In Kansas humidity and temperature can vary quite a bit... even over the course of a day. My lenses hardly ever fogged, but sometimes my glasses did.

That said, with thermal lenses in your mask do you prefer glasses or contacts? Why?

[JeepDVLZ45]

ChuckLove RiceBall2143!

summoning some of our spectacled experts…

[Fossilhead]

I've always had my best results with JT spectra thermal.

Now, I can fit my glasses under there. Rarely fog.

But, I do prefer contacts. I'm near sighted in both eyes as well, but use monovision.

Which means I only wear one contact.

This allows me to read, and see at a distance.
It's like automatic bifocals.
Shoot with both eyes open and you'll be fine.

If, you are using a sighting system of some type (I don't for paintball but do for real steel) put the contact in your NON-DOMINANT EYE. This allows you to clearly see your sight and your target at a distance if you're using a red dot.

[Blackmagic71]

My vision is poor, so I’ve used glasses or contacts since about 3rd grade.

For paintball (and other active sports like skiing or football when I played) I almost exclusively use contacts, they don’t fog, and I don’t have to be careful removing my mask or helmet.

The big exception to that is any time I go on back country wilderness camping trips I typically wear glasses because I don’t want to deal with poking contacts in and out of my eyes in potentially dirty/grimy conditions. Although I do bring an extra pair so if something happens to my primary pair I’m not totally screwed trying to find my way back to civilization.

Have you considered getting a set of goggles with prescription lenses? Might be worth it for your situation.

[scottieb]

Eye glasses will always offer sharper vision than contacts. They can give you the magnification you need for up reading/close work with progressive lenses (no line bifocals).

If you can see well to play the sport, then I'd recommend contacts for that.

[ChuckLove]

These are worth the investment. I too am near sighted and they were a complete game changer for me. I hit them with some Zeis anti-fog before each day of play and they never fog.

https://youzeeshop.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorj4yxMN1Ko1TbmgOcvXwsXVU_ID__5LfvVL 4yLiY_f-JZB6s9J

[cellophane]

Contacts, mostly because it is what I always wear. That said- I apparently turned old at some point in the last year or two and need readers now, but only if I have my contacts in. But luckily I don't need those while on the field. I should throw a couple pairs in my bag though... and my car...

Side note for anyone that uses readers- Dollar Tree (and I assume similar stores) sell them for $1.25, as opposed to the $15+ at Walgreens. I buy them in bulk 🙄

[acrewofone]

eyeglasses always make you look smarter...

[Grendel]

Hate contacts been wearing glasses since I was thirteen. Best thing I did was have Lasik done to fix me for distance. No glasses for me playing paintball, but I do need them in the staging area so I can see to work on anything.

[Magmoormaster]

I have an eye condition that more or less prevents me from wearing contacts, so I wear glasses all the time. I haven’t had difficulty fitting glasses in my mask since I moved away from the old Vforce Armor. The only times I’ve ever had fogging issues has been due to a very old lens.

[flyweightnate]

I almost exclusively wear contacts - the margin distortion with glasses messes with my head, so I'll have a headache at the end of the day with them. Not bad, but noticeable. I notice stuff like that more than most people, though... things like the compressor on the fridge or subtle breeze from the HVAC don't just fade into the background as much.

Oasys Dailies are worth a try if typical lenses bother you. They're a little more expensive, but if you only use them on the field (or less than 20 days a month) you'll come out ahead. They breathe better and are thinner than typical lenses.

Oh, and they never fog.

That said, I got some antifog for my RX safety glasses (cement and pulp mills don't want you wearing contacts around the chemicals) and it seems similar to the stuff you get at a dive shop. Haven't tried it yet but I can't imagine it hurts.

[Psycho91]

Been wearing glassed most of my life and the whole time iv been into paintball, never had a problem with glasses fogging and the only masks that didn't fit quiet right were the newer version proto axis I think they were called the side foam pushed my glasses into my head and flex 8s the plastic molded ears did the same thing, the vios I have are tight I'm pretty sure there's marks on the inside from the corners of my glasses

lone wolf did a video with alot of the popular masks on which fit better with glasses as their camera man wear glasses

[SignOfZeta]

I use a pair of YouZee prescription lenses in JT Flex. That’s the combo for me. It *can* fog but it’s rare. I’m done cramming glasses into masks forever.

I never wear contacts and would rather be punched in the face than get lasers shot into my eyes. My vision is thankfully pretty good and hasn’t drifted much in 30 years. People with massively worse vision will have different needs. I’m near sighted, and not extremely.