The vulnerabilities of the eyeglass pandemic

72% of the American population needs some type of corrective vision support including glasses, contact lenses or eye surgery to achieve normal vision. That means most of us can’t correctly identify an attacker or tell if the figure walking towards us has a bulge in his waist band or a knife in his hand until its too late without our glasses on. This is not the courtroom demonstration any of us want to be a part of.

The video is hilarious but the point is sobering, not only does poor vision reduce situational awareness and slow reaction times but it will be a prominent feature of any court proceeding. Like most things in life though, with proper planning and foresight (pun intended) the vulnerabilities can be lessened or mitigated entirely.

As Sun Tzu said,

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win

Sun Tzu

So lets get after the winning.

Lets not loose the forest for the tree’s, first make sure you are regularly seeing an eye doctor and that your prescription is current. There is no sense in having corrective lenses that are not correctly corrective. Kinda makes the whole exercise moot.

Glasses vs contact lenses

We do not recommend contact lenses for anybody living the prepared/resilient lifestyle. While the convenience and look of contact lenses are benefits, and they stay in place better then glasses in a fight, usually those benefits don’t outweigh the significant downsides of contact lenses.

Irritation-If a piece of dirt or debris get in your eye with contact lenses the lens needs to be removed and cleaned, the eye washed, and then the lens put back in. Not something you could easily do in the field or austere environments.

Ballistic protection-The glasses we recommend below all have some sort of ballistic protection rating. But even if your glasses don’t, they will provide more protection then nothing. Many activities recommend safety glasses, shooting, shop work, tactical field work, car repair and many others. If you need glasses then might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Corneal Hypoxia-Wearing contacts can restrict the amount of oxygen that gets to the cornea. This in turn can cause corneal swelling, hazy or blurry vision, irritation and infections.

Hygiene-Contact lenses need to be properly cleaned when removed from the eye and that is not something you should be doing in austere environments.

To sum up, contacts are for convenience not for living a life where emergencies and the unexpected happen.

Where to buy

Buying a pair of glasses is like buying a pair of tires, they always end up costing more then you think and it is tough to be excited about the purchase. If they work as designed then you never think about them again until they need to be replaced. Here are two good options that will make your purchase as pain free as possible.

Costco optical center-If you have a Costco membership (and you should) this can be a great option. No only are prices reasonable but they offer a satisfaction guarantee. If any time you aren’t happy with your purchase you can bring the glasses in and they will make it right or refund your money. Its basically a lifetime warranty and impossible to beat.

Another great option is Rec specs. They offer models with ballistic protection and come with a lifetime warranty as well (up to 2 replacements).

My recommendation? Start off with rec specs. Buy a pair of ballistically rated glasses and rest easily knowing if they break you will get another pair for free. If you don’t like the styles or you need a cheap backup pair then checkout Costco.

General thoughts

Have a hook or clear area by your bedside table that you always put your glasses when you go to bed. Make sure that you can quickly find them by feel alone if something goes bump in the night. Clean them and make sure they are ready to wear before going to bed. Nothing worse then trying to line up a shot, with sleep in your eyes and smudges on your glasses.

Eye glass retainers can be life changing. I really like chums, they have lots of different styles, are usually under $20, and are made in the USA with a lifetime warranty. They are great for everyday wear and help keep your glasses firmly planed on your head, critically important if your are in a self defense situation or scuffle.

You should always have a backup pair in your EDC bag with you at all times. There is no easier way to take you completely out of the fight then to debilitate your sight.

Always carry a microfiber cloth for cleaning your glasses. Many materials can scratch the lenses or not clean them completely. I recommend Koala cloths as the best. Always have one in your pocket. They are also handy for cleaning optics, especially if your EDC gun has a red dot.

With forethought and careful planing the disadvantage of corrective lenses can be significantly mitigated. Take the time now to get your prescription updated, buy a pair of glasses that doubles as a protective lenses, and make sure you can find them at night and clean them during the day. Do these things and you will be way ahead of the curve, Sun Tzu would be proud.