When to Replace Your Motorcycle Riding Eyewear
Your eyes are an incredibly important part of your body. In fact, without your eyes, riding your motorcycle would not be possible. Because your eyes are so important, it is critical that you consider your eyes when you go out riding. For this reason, it is recommended—and even the law, in some places—that motorcycle safety glasses or goggles are worn anytime you hit the road on your bike. 
Unfortunately, glasses that have become damaged are not always effective in protecting your eyes. Therefore, motorcyclists should always be on top of replacing their goggles and glasses whenever necessary.
That said, many people do not know what signs of wear and damage to look for and when to start looking for a new pair. In this article we are going to discuss the damage you need to watch out for, so you know when new eyewear is in order.
— Lenses —
Your lenses are the most important part of your goggles or glasses. They are the barrier between your eyes and all of the debris that is so often kicked up by the wind or the vehicles around you. If this debris were to hit your eyes directly it would hinder your ability to see the road at best, and cause serious and permanent damage to your eyesight at worst. Additionally, your goggle or glasses lenses are your windows to the road, giving you a clear view of the road and drivers around you no matter what weather conditions you are riding in.
For these reasons, it is crucial to make sure the lenses of your safety goggles or glasses are always in tip-top condition. If you ever find that they are not, it is likely time to find a new set of safety eyewear.
Here are a couple of things to watch for on the lenses of your safety eyewear:
Cracked or Chipped Lenses
Usually, the debris flying through the air is nothing more than bits of sand and dirt. Occasionally, however, a rock or other larger, harder item may hit your safety eyewear. Luckily, because motorcycle glasses and goggles are break-resistant, your lenses will not shatter if and when this happens, and—provided they are in good shape—will definitely do their job of protecting your vision. That said, they are not immune to cracking and chipping, and could very well acquire some lens damage, rendering them unsafe to use.
If your lenses do become chipped or cracked, it is likely time to look into purchasing new eyewear for bike-riding purposes. Chips and cracks can grow over time, compromising the glasses’ ability to properly protect the user, making it more difficult to see the road while wearing them.
Scratches
Even the most careful individual will get a scratch on the lenses of their glasses or goggles from time to time. Fortunately, many small scratches can be mended using non-gel toothpaste or a paste made of baking soda and water.
However, when a scratch cannot be fixed with one of these methods, it is important to consider the effect the damage will have on your vision in all types of lighting. If you find the scratch is too significant to work around, or if you have a series of lens scratches obstructing your view, it is time to invest in a new pair of goggles or glasses.
— Fit —
While lens damage does call for a glasses replacement, most other reasons for replacing safety eyewear have to do with the fit of the protective gear.
Since the idea of wearing glasses or goggles during a motorcycle ride is to stay safe, it seems pretty silly to wear ill-fitting eyewear that could be distracting and hinder your vision. Therefore, anytime your glasses or goggles become too loose and begin sliding around your face, you can bet it is time for a new pair.
Here are a few of the ways the fit of your glasses can be affected:
Loose Arms
From time to time, a pair of glasses may develop loose arms from being stretched out of position too often. When this happens, you can sometimes fix the problem by tightening the tiny screws at the hinges of the arms.
However, if this doesn’t work, it is definitely time to pick up a new pair of glasses or give goggles a try instead. This is because the loose arms could cause the glasses to fall from your face during a ride, which is both distracting and dangerous.
Stretched Out Safety Band
Just as glasses can develop problems with loose arms, goggles have their own problem when it comes to maintain a good fit.
Often, the safety band of this particular type of protective eyewear will become stretched out. This usually renders the band useless, as it can no longer hold the goggles in place on the wearer’s head. Instead, the goggles will slide around on their face, causing visual obstructions and a terrible distraction.
Worn Foam
The foam on motorcycle safety glasses and goggles is wonderful for keeping out wildly blowing dust and dirt. This added protection is great for every motorcycle rider.
However, while the foam seals are a perfect addition to any motorcycle safety eyewear, they do have one downfall: The foam tends to wear down over time. This leads to an improper fit and far too much slipping down the face.
Therefore, any time you notice the foam on your eyewear becoming worn down, peeling away from the frame, or developing cracks, you will want to start thinking about getting a new set of glasses or goggles.
— Summary —
Safety goggles and glasses are meant to protect your eyes from harm. However, if your eyewear has been compromised by an incident or by regular wear and tear, it cannot properly protect you.
By following the tips above and always replacing chipped, cracked, scratched, or worn-out eyewear, you can ensure your eyes will be safe and sound while you enjoy your ride.
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