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Motorcycle accidents are one of the most common vehicular disasters. Statistics from the Department for Transport revealed that an average of 115 motorcyclists get injured, while six motorcyclists die per week in reported road casualties. The department points out that most motorcyclists end up in severe or fatal accidents with another vehicle because the rider failed to look properly.

Having your vision compromised even for a few seconds can result in accidents, which is why you should protect your eyes. Below, we’ll discuss a few factors that can affect your vision when riding and how you can protect your eyes:

Factors That Can Affect Motorcycle Riders’ Vision and Eye Health

Glare from the sun and headlights
Harsh sunlight and the glare from oncoming headlights can temporarily blind and distract you since motorcycles don’t have roofs and tinted windshields. This may result in losing your balance or crashing into other vehicles.

Apart from these, you must also be wary of very bright fog lights when rainy or foggy. Combined with the low visibility due to the weather, you’ll be in great danger if such lights temporarily daze you.

Dust and foreign objects
Since motorcycles are open vehicles, your eyes can get hit by dust, sand, and rock fragments from the road. NHS states that corneal abrasion can occur if your cornea gets scratched by dust, sand, and rock fragments. Due to these scratches, you may experience pain and watering in your eyes, or you can even end up with blurry vision.

Moreover, these foreign objects can distract you when driving. You might instinctively use your hands to wipe your eyes, making you steer one-handed. This can cause you to fall off balance or crash on the road.

Debris in case of accidents
Another reason to protect your eyes is in cases of accidents. Parts of your motorcycle or another vehicle may fly toward your face, which can puncture your eyes.

If thrown off your motorcycle, you may land face-first or roll over on the ground. This can scratch or injure your eyes, causing temporary or permanent and partial or complete vision loss, depending on the severity of the incident.

How to Protect Your Eyes During Motorcycle Rides

Use sunglasses for protection
To protect your eyes as best as possible during motorcycle rides, wear sunglasses. Select one with polarised lenses to reduce glare, a secure fit so they won’t fall, and the right size to sufficiently cover your eye area.

Rather than buying any ordinary sunglasses, consider starting with a pair of specialised sports sunglasses. Oakley sunglasses are renowned for their ability to be used in sports and outdoor pursuits. Their sports sunglasses, specifically those from the MotoGP line, have polarised lenses, a snug fit, and lenses big enough to shield your eye area. They’re also available in various colours for your preference. Another option is to purchase pairs from leading eyewear brand Marcolin, which distributes the optical frames and sunglasses from Harley-Davidson. The brand offers sunglasses that have foam linings and removable gaskets to protect riders from high velocity and high mass impact. Through these high-quality sunglasses, you can ensure that your eyes will be properly protected on the road.

Get a helmet with a visor
Besides wearing motorcycle sunglasses, getting a helmet with a visor is better for added protection. Just ensure that their tints or colours don’t impair your vision and that your sunglasses can fit under the helmet.

SHARK Helmets offers models with clear visors that won’t compromise your vision, especially if you have polarised or dark-tinted sunglasses. The brand also uses VZ300 Class 1-rated visors that can improve your visual clarity during your ride and protect you from any projectiles in case of any accidents. Meanwhile, AGV’s helmets have perfectly-angled sun visors to shield your eyes from glare while providing a clear view of the road.

Protecting your eyes as a motorcycle rider is a must to prevent accidents and eye injuries. Therefore, wear motorcycle sunglasses and a helmet with a visor.