In a previous article about sun damage at high altitudes, I touched upon the importance of wearing sunglasses when trekking in the snow. But in doing so, I realised that I had left out one group of trekkers: those who wear eyeglasses/spectacles.

In this article, I will share how people who wear contact lenses or eyeglasses can protect their eyes from UV damage on high-altitude treks.

But first, let’s have a quick recap of why you need to wear sunglasses on a high-altitude trek, especially when trekking in the snow:

The Risk: UV Damage

Our eyes are prone to sunburns as much as our skin is. The sunburn of the eye is called photokeratitis (also called snow blindness). This condition is caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, a component of sunlight. Too much UV exposure can damage the eye’s cornea and cause a burning, gritty sensation in the eyes and temporary blindness.

Now, snow is a very reflective surface. This means that it is very efficient at reflecting UV rays. When you trek in the snow, your eyes are constantly bombarded by these UV rays, putting you at a high risk of snow blindness.

The Solution: Wear Sunglasses

So we know that we need sunglasses when trekking in snow. People who don’t wear spectacles (or are contact lens users) can simply put on UV-protected sunglasses. But what are the options available for bespectacled trekkers? Let’s have a look.

How To Use Sunglasses With Spectacles?

There are a few options for people who use spectacles to protect their eyes from UV rays:

1. Sunglasses over spectacles

This is an old hack in the books of many trekkers. Indiahikes in-house doctor Sreelakshmi went with this style on her Kashmir Great Lakes trek. “I carried my contact lenses with me but it was too much of a hassle to keep wearing and removing them daily. In the end, I just ended up wearing sunglasses over my spectacles. Although it was a bit tight around my ears and nose, it was not that big of an issue. I was able to complete the whole trek quite comfortably”.

2. Sunglasses with power lenses

Custom-made sunglasses with corrective power are the most comfortable option for trekkers with spectacles. However, such custom sunglasses are expensive, costing anywhere between Rs 3000 to Rs 7,000 for a good frame with scratch resistance. 

Frankly, we don’t recommend this unless you’re trekking in snow 7-8 times a year. If you’re trekking just once a year or so, this is not an economical option.

3. Clip-ons over prescription glasses

Clip-on glasses are glasses that you can attach on top of your regular spectacles. They do a pretty decent job and can be attached or removed easily. Clip-on glasses are a much more economical alternative to custom sunglasses with power.

Clip-on glasses are available easily in most trekking stores. Additionally, you can also find clip-ons in local spectacle shops easily. Check this out at Decathlon.

4. Fit-over sunglasses

Fit-over sunglasses work on the same idea as clip-on glasses but instead of fixing only a set of lenses over your spectacles, fit-over sunglasses are whole sunglasses that you wear on top of the spectacles.

They look like regular sunglasses but are built like a light-weight shell so that they can fit snugly over most styles of spectacles.

One of our trekkers who is a regular user of these fit-over sunglasses had brought one to our Bangalore office. We tried it out ourselves and the sunglasses fit comfortably over our spectacles. Those were so comfortable that we didn’t notice that we were wearing another set of glasses over our spectacles.

These fit-over sunglasses are found at local spectacle stores, lenskart, and other brand outlets.

5. Photochromic lenses

Photochromic glasses are spectacles that can transition from clear glass to dark shades that are anti-glare, depending on exposure to the sun. However, there are some things that you must consider before using these glasses on a trek:

• Ensure that you get these lenses in a full-frame spectacle. Frameless glasses are fragile and can easily break on a trek.
• Because photochromic lenses change colour automatically depending on light exposure, some people find it uncomfortable to use.

These types of lenses are expensive and might not be worth spending your money on.

There are a good number of eye protection options available for bespectacled trekkers. From our experience, fit-over and clip-on sunglasses are affordable and work pretty well. However, fit-over sunglasses should be preferred in snow conditions since they can cut off the side glare which a clip-on lens will not be able to do.

What’s the final verdict? 

If you wear glasses, your best option is to get clip-on sunglasses. It is hassle-free and economical. 

However, if you’re a trekker who is in snow several times a year, then you could go for sunglasses that are tuned to your power. That’s the most convenient option. 

I hope this article helped you with a lot of questions about what to use & how to use sunglasses with your spectacles. Additionally, if you are confused about whether to wear spectacles or contact lenses on a trek: Head over to this article which discusses the pros and cons of using either of them on a trek.