I'd like to teach my 11 year old daughter to kite but she has quite poor eyesight and wears glasses..
I guess the only option is the old seabreeze style sunnies with prescription lenses? It's almost a show stopper...

most wave kiters I know are blind
she'll be fine

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bargearse said..
I'd like to teach my 11 year old daughter to kite but she has quite poor eyesight and wears glasses..
I guess the only option is the old seabreeze style sunnies with prescription lenses? It's almost a show stopper...

... my misses had great success with prescription Seaspecs! Contacts with normal sunnies just don't cut it but proper prescription ones do, especially ones like Seaspecs that stay on even after a good 'ol wipeout.

Cheers,

Robbie


ps www.seaspecs.com/seaspecs-prescription-sunglasses-ezp-47

She can't wear contact lenses? Get cheap dailies.

+1 on dresden. I use a pair of their prescription sunnies with straps like www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sunglasses-Eyewear-Reading-Glasses-Silicone-Sport-Band-Neck-Cord-Strap-8-Colours/161959485750?var=&hash=item25b589a136 (just the first hit, probably better deals available).

The setup works great.

+ 1 for the sea specs - I suspect if you are saying quite poor eyesight you might be needing ground lenses. Seaspecs do these at quite a reasonable price. Some of the cheaper options will only be doing stock lenses.

Yep the look might not be the greatest fashion statement but they work and will enable kiting.

dont take the doctors advice, have you seen his missus

I always had issies with blue eye/ ocean etc sunnies where the lenses delaminated. Horizontal lines formed through the film.. never seemed to last long. Anyone else get this?

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bargearse said..
I'd like to teach my 11 year old daughter to kite but she has quite poor eyesight and wears glasses..
I guess the only option is the old seabreeze style sunnies with prescription lenses? It's almost a show stopper...

Definitely do-able..It can be a show stopper. I hated not being able to identify faces and places on the beach... Definitely follow through with one of the above - sunnies are almost a must learning in QLD in the afternoon... When they are learning often looking up at the kite - if they are water kids (like mine) surfing and SLS anything to stop pterygium / eye trouble.

Because learning phase involves a fair amount of face in / under water would start with the glasses option over contacts (the strap with a helmet will be ok - so they can be knocked off face but you do not loose them) I tie off to wettie zip pull or similar - no desire to add more sunnies to Dave Jones's locker. If she likes mucking in the water - surfing / body boarding give it a crack.. Once over the sight hurdle the rest should be a breeze..

I always have eye protection & use daily disposables contacts as go to choice for ease of use (most any dark lens safety glasses - bunnings etc are ok)..
NB JIC you might have escaped in your learning stages you can face plant quiet hard learning so definitely get sturdy over fashion for glasses... I am re-visiting this aspect on a foil
Cheers AP

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bargearse said..
I'd like to teach my 11 year old daughter to kite but she has quite poor eyesight and wears glasses..
I guess the only option is the old seabreeze style sunnies with prescription lenses? It's almost a show stopper...

It's a great age to learn bargearse, I taught my 11 year old son last season. I got him flying the kite and just starting on water starts, he was at the stage of going up to about 50m before loosing control and crashing. Paid for a 2hr lesson with an instructor using radio helmet and he was staying upwind & turning without falling over by the end of the lesson. We had done a few sessions at the cable park on weekends without wind and he could wake board with either foot forward before he took on water starts with the kite so I guess that helped too.

I use Ortho-K.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthokeratology
I wear hard contacts at night while I'm asleep which re-profile my eyeball and when I remove them in the morning, I've got 20:20 vision all day. It's more expensive than a pair of prescription sunnies but I don't need any glasses now.
If you're in Sydney, I highly recommend Dr Margaret Lam of the Eyecare Company on George St.
georgeandmatilda.com.au/stores/theeyecarecompany-by-g-m-eyecare-sydney/