Prescription glasses and airsoft

Bolle 'Pilot' are the lowest profile goggles that will fit over specs I've  found in 10 years of playing and swapping eyepro.

I have drilled extra vent holes in them too which help further with fogging.

The only thing that stops fogging is airflow, so you either need to keep moving or get some fan assist goggs, anti fog doesn't work if you're sweating your butt off in a bush!

 
Bolle 'Pilot' are the lowest profile goggles that will fit over specs I've  found in 10 years of playing and swapping eyepro.

I have drilled extra vent holes in them too which help further with fogging.

The only thing that stops fogging is airflow, so you either need to keep moving or get some fan assist goggs, anti fog doesn't work if you're sweating your butt off in a bush!
These are what I use - Bolle too.

bolle-tactical-raider-kit-ballistic-arisoft-safety-glasses-4.jpg


They come with prescription inserts that fit between the outer frame and a vented inner frame to maintain airflow (I had a couple of fogging issues so I cut out some extra gaps which sorted it), plus a choice of smoke, hi contrast or clear ballistic lenses. Honestly, for airsoft, I really haven't seen a better option out there if you want to be able to take prescription lenses onto the field.

 
I was offered contact lenses recently on a free trial from specsavers, not sure if I'd like them for airsofting though as I have the slight paranoia one will drop out while i'm running.

Alternatively, http://www.safetyspecs.co.uk/ seems to stock just about every type of safety goggles out there. I work in a construction environment a lot so trying to convince my work to buy me a pair ;)

 
I bought a pair of ESS ICE in the end, with the clip in frame, and made half reading glasses fit.

They’re a bit like bi-focals now, with my contacts in. Perfect for target shooting and gun fiddling :)

 
I was offered contact lenses recently on a free trial from specsavers, not sure if I'd like them for airsofting though as I have the slight paranoia one will drop out while i'm running.

Alternatively, http://www.safetyspecs.co.uk/ seems to stock just about every type of safety goggles out there. I work in a construction environment a lot so trying to convince my work to buy me a pair ;)
Trouble with contacts for airsoft is they're a nightmare if you get a bit of dirt in your eye, or one falls out. It's a matter of trying to painfully feel your way back to the safe zone before you can remove your eye pro and try to fiddle. Plus, airsoft sites aren't renowned for having nice clean bathrooms with shiny mirrors so you can see what you're doing in a sanitary environment!

 
I've been wearing glasses for many years now, so having the issue of finding proper eye protection for airsoft was expected. I tried a couple of full face bits but I couldn't aim at all with them on. 

I bought some goggles from Amazon (type in "Interchangeable Multi Lens Kit Air Flow Tactical Vented Safety Airsoft Goggles with 3 Lens" and they will come up). I have only once had an issue with fogging but I was running so much that it's understandable. I wear them for woodland and CQB games and they certainly do the job very well! I have quite big glasses too and they fit over with absolutely no issue. 

Make sure you let the lenses warm up on cold days. When I first put them on it can seem like they are fogging but it's just a difference in temperature and sorts itself within a couple of minutes. 

As they are quite bulky, I have also got a half face mesh mask and a helmet to make it look a little better, and obviously add protection. View attachment 27841View attachment 27842




Having looked on amazon at these I highly doubt they reach the standard rating needed to be used on 99% of fields. Had some guy at the site I work at the other day that was adamant that the pilot visor style flip down lens on his helmet was ballistics rated because it said so on the advert on eBay.... I wouldn't let him play unless he had approved glasses on underneath so he agreed and used a pair of Bolle we have on site.... visor shattered the first game...

 
Chinese knock off eyepro = blindness waiting to happen! 




Speaking of blindness some site insurance companies are now mandating that eyepro is worn in the safezone (has to be on at all times) due to that kid that shot his mate in the eye with his mates sniper rifle (apparently he is trying to sue! not sure what planet hes living on trying to sue for his own stupidity) two sites I've been to now that use the same insurance company have this rule in place.

 
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have you got any safety ratings for the lenses....paranoid you see!!!

also, assuming thats just a reflection of something on the lens in the first pic??!!

was reading reviews on amazon, i dont yet need glasses, but a guy we play with does, i think he wears some kind of Bolle goggle?? so i'll pass this on to him. Do they fit ok or do you have to have slim glasses etc.....

How are they if you run around a bit, do they start to fog or do you coat them with something?




I've had no issue with taking many hits to them. I don't know specifics though. In the first picture, he mark in the middle is part of the helmet behind it. Lenses don't have a scratch on them despite lots of use. 

I have quite large glasses and they fit perfectly over the top. Don't cause any pressure. Very comfortable to wear over the top of my glasses. 

I don't have an issue with fogging as long as let the lenses warm up. So I make sure I wear them when I'm setting everything up. I may look silly but if the lenses are warm then I find them much less likely to fog. 

I play full days of airsoft in woodland and in CQB and have taken many hits to the goggles from various distances including very close up, and don't have a scratch or any issues with fogging. I have used anti fog spray once but had almost the same result when I just warmed up the lenses so I gave up with it. 

 
I don't know specifics though. In the first picture, he mark in the middle is part of the helmet behind it. Lenses don't have a scratch on them despite lots of use. 

I play full days of airsoft in woodland and in CQB and have taken many hits to the goggles from various distances including very close up, and don't have a scratch


Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it wont happen. I can't see the rating listed on the lenses which each pair of my glasses has (and most I have seen also have - some are listed elsewhere like the frames for example) some copies or cheap eyepro stamp this in just because they want to sell the product (which again happens with a lot of tat off eBay and Amazon.

 
If there's one thing I like to skimp money on it's my invaluable, irreplaceable eyesight.

As the others have said: Buy goggles with the proper ratings and please stop suggesting eye protection that doesn't have it - it's dangerous.

 
From all that though, getting your lenses warm is solid advice. Lenses that are warmer than the air temperature inside the goggles/glasses will NEVER fog. 

 
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I need a new eye test in any case so I also looked at variofocal eye pro. 

I assume industrial type eye pro is acceptable on airsoft sites? Come to that, would my present M88 knock off helmet with visor be? I've never actually played with it.

Initially I really liked the look of Bollé Safety IRIS-S RX but it occurs to me that having the prescription lenses inside the main glasses makes it more likely to mist up. Anyone had any experience? 

 
I need a new eye test in any case so I also looked at variofocal eye pro. 

I assume industrial type eye pro is acceptable on airsoft sites? Come to that, would my present M88 knock off helmet with visor be? I've never actually played with it.

Initially I really liked the look of Bollé Safety IRIS-S RX but it occurs to me that having the prescription lenses inside the main glasses makes it more likely to mist up. Anyone had any experience? 
Take note of the safety documentation for the Bolle iris s rx:

F. Low energy impact, resists a 6 mm, 0.86 g ball at 45 m/s

4metres per second  is 147 feet per second

Thats not going to give you much protection

 
Take note of the safety documentation for the Bolle iris s rx:

F. Low energy impact, resists a 6 mm, 0.86 g ball at 45 m/s

4metres per second  is 147 feet per second

Thats not going to give you much protection
Yes it "resists a 6 mm, 0.86 g ball at 45 m/s" which seems a hell of a lot hotter than anything I'm likely to encounter on a UK field surely? 

That's with a .86! So surely it'd double with a .43? So with .20s it would chrono, what? 600 fps? 

 
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This was a while ago now (sometime at the start of the year, I believe there was a thread on it) basically kid-1 bought his sniper rifle in from the gaming area with a BB still in the chamber, Kid-2 grabs kid-1's sniper rifle to have a look at it and I presume play about with it in the safe zone...

From the version of events I have been told by numerous site owners who it had been passed on to from the originating site, Kid-2 lined the rifle up at kid-3's face (why you would do this anyway is beyond me) then fired the gun (remembering its chambered) and kid-3 got shot... good bye vision (not sure on FPS of the gun before you ask). The same insurance company that is used on the site I regularly play has now said that until the legal action has been completed against the (from what I'm gathering) original site and kid-2 everyone has to wear their safety glasses/masks upon entering the safezone (from cars etc)

 
This was a while ago now (sometime at the start of the year, I believe there was a thread on it) basically kid-1 bought his sniper rifle in from the gaming area with a BB still in the chamber, Kid-2 grabs kid-1's sniper rifle to have a look at it and I presume play about with it in the safe zone...

From the version of events I have been told by numerous site owners who it had been passed on to from the originating site, Kid-2 lined the rifle up at kid-3's face (why you would do this anyway is beyond me) then fired the gun (remembering its chambered) and kid-3 got shot... good bye vision (not sure on FPS of the gun before you ask). The same insurance company that is used on the site I regularly play has now said that until the legal action has been completed against the (from what I'm gathering) original site and kid-2 everyone has to wear their safety glasses/masks upon entering the safezone (from cars etc)


tbh its not a bad thing to do this if it keeps sites open and their insurance valid........even though we all take precautions there are still a few lets are say reckless people out there....the sites i play at there is no dry firing in the car park, testing batteries etc. BUT people still do it.....it only takes one moment of madness

 
tbh its not a bad thing to do this if it keeps sites open and their insurance valid........even though we all take precautions there are still a few lets are say reckless people out there....the sites i play at there is no dry firing in the car park, testing batteries etc. BUT people still do it.....it only takes one moment of madness


Agreed, the sites I play ask you to clear guns and show mags are out way before entering the safezone but it only takes one person to not clear their weapon when things like this can happen. I tend to wear my glasses as soon as I start to unpack my gear - not saying I don't trust other people but I wouldn't put it past someone to have tested their gun at home and not cleared it and then dry fire it (although all sites I play say no dry firing as well)

 
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