The importance of eye safety on the road

If you follow our blog, you’ll know that BBR has been an official eyewear sponsor for Herefordshire triathlete, Jemima Cooper, since 2018. BBR works with Jemima on a regular basis, to ensure she has the correct eyewear for her hectic schedule of monumental challenges.

Below, Jemima recalls a recent experience, which left her feeling especially grateful to BBR and reinforces the need for the correct eyewear when on the road.

You never know when it’s going to hit…

“Thank goodness I was wearing specs, that’s all I can say!”

“I can’t be grateful enough that BBR is always looking out for my eyes. When the roads are not at their finest over the winter and there is lots of debris around, it can make for not only a pretty muddy ride, but also a pretty sketchy one too!

“Part of my winter training has been focused on bike handling skills; I’ve been trying mountain bike riding, to improve my cornering and descending skills. I have also made a pact with my coach to ride outside as much as I possibly can (wet/cold/wind/snow/ice I’ve been through it all!)

“It may not always be pretty, but this approach has massively helped. The sheer number of hours spent on the saddle over the last few months will no doubt play great dividends when I start racing again in a few months’ time!”

Taking precautions

“To be able to get on my wheels as much as possible, it’s been essential to take precautions. I have added mud guards to my bike, chosen a larger tyre with more grip and that is more puncture resistant. I’ve also bought warm cycling jackets, waterproof overshoes, windproof gloves and ear warmers!

“The other absolutely essential part of my winter riding kit has been my Norville design, Vista-mesh lens, glasses that BBR arranged for me. Vista-mesh was a great choice for these lenses, as it enhances contrasts to help me see what is on the road more clearly, minimises light glare and most importantly, they provide me with protection.

“A few weeks ago, I was riding along enjoying a little sun (for a change), when suddenly something hit me! A piece of loose gravel flicked up right into my eye, cracking my lens! It was such a shock to the system that I nearly tumbled off my bike. How lucky I felt to have been wearing the riding specs, because who knows what damage would have been done to my eyes had I not been.

“Thanks to BBR, my eyes had been protected - they are always looking out for me!

“Riders should be mindful of eye safety throughout the whole year, but in particular during winter. I would recommend getting a pair of clear glasses or photochromic lenses that adjust to the light levels. BBR has a range of different sports sunglasses to choose from in their main lines - or you may even want to go bespoke like me too!”

BBR Optometry is no stranger to designing and providing patients with bespoke frames and lenses for a range of sporting, leisure and professional uses, pop into our practice to find out more.