The right lenses for motorcyclists and soft-top car drivers

Among the many pleasures that herald the arrival of spring are not only the first warm rays of sunshine and the blossoming wonders of nature, but also the increased number of soft-top cars and motorbikes we see on the roads. However, it’s all very well to feel the sun on your skin and the scent of blossoms wafting gently through your nose: if you don’t have good sunglasses, driving a motorbike or a soft-top car may be a pleasure you'll very soon regret.

Sun, wind or stars – if you want to have total, unadulterated enjoyment of the many delights offered by your motorbike or soft-top car, a perfectly fitted spectacle frame with high quality lenses is an absolute must. Only in this way can drivers protect their eyes against the glare of the sun, small insects and the wind in their faces.

When you are looking for the right frame, practicality plays an important role. The glasses should be easy to put on and take off when you are wearing your helmet, match the anatomy of your head and sit firmly without causing pressure marks. Your optician has a wide selection for you to choose from. Particularly for motorcyclists, shatter-proof plastic lenses and a lightweight, flexible frame with flat, elastic side tips are ideal to minimise the risk of injury in the worst case scenario. The nose pads should also be flexible to ensure that if the helmet has a tight fit no unsightly or even painful pressure marks remain. For soft-top cars, the sky is the limit when it comes to choosing your frame.

Tip for motorcyclists: It's better to not have a tinted visor on your helmet. This is not permitted according to traffic regulations. Photochromic or self-tinting lenses are better. The current best choice is self-tinting lenses from ZEISS with PhotoFusion X technology. They have a photosensitive coating and offer eyes the best protection. The special feature of eyeglass lenses with PhotoFusion X: the tint adapts to all light conditions so that you have vision comfort all the time – without being dazzled. And: don't forget to take your helmet when you go to your optometrist to have your motorcycle glasses fitted.

The lenses should be made of plastic for soft-top car drivers and motorcyclists. They are more shatter-proof than glass lenses – and they are lighter as well. What is extremely important is an antireflection coating and, in the case of plastic lenses, a scratch-resistant hard coating. Alternatively, you can select ZEISS lenses incorporating special technologies for optimal glare protection, e.g. polarising filters. These filter out scattered light and reflections off bright surfaces and therefore minimise extreme glare. This means added safety in dazzling sunshine, particularly on a wet road after a downpour.

One of the polarising lenses offered by ZEISS is the premium solution. These lenses provide not only the many benefits of polarisation, but also enhanced colour and contrast perception.

ZEISS Single Vision Sport lenses are something really special and extremely fashionable. Thanks to the use of a special technology, spectacle wearers can select fashionable frames or sports frames with wrap lenses – also with their personal prescription – regardless of whether progressive or single vision lenses are chosen. The state-of-the-art design and production of these lenses offer the wearer maximum wearing comfort. This not only provides optimum protection against wind, dust and insects, but also means that limited vision and eyestrain are now things of the past. Another benefit: the lenses are very light and resistant to breakage.

For both motorcyclists and soft-top car drivers it is important that they can see what is happening in the rear and side mirrors without having to constantly turn their heads. Very small lenses/lens shapes are not therefore suitable.