Thread: Operational Eyewear - What they do and corrective lenses

The problem with these lenses is that they sit close to the eyes, too close. The optician uses a standard frame that sits a further distance away from the eye to work out your accommodation of the eye and can work out what you need to correct your vision.
The issued lenses do not work because they are too close to the face, less than 1cm. I know from recent experience in Herrick last year, that it is so difficult to use them if you have a significant correction of your vision

FFS!!!

A chronic myope since age 8, I spent 30 yrs serving, 20 of them in front line reg inf Bns. 7 op tours and countless thousand hours on exercise making do with issue bins - wot my Yank DS at Warminster very accurately described as "No Sex Glasses" - and here in the 21st Century suddenly everybody's getting bullet-proof Oakleys !!!

Always, sodding always, a man ahead of my proper time . . . . .!!!!!

Anyone else think this is c0ck?! I had the same weird effect with my ESS glasses when I was on Herrick in 2008 and I rang them and they were adamant that they had the right prescription, they said I just had to get used to them. So me not knowing any better went along with it and no, I never got used to them and they were almost unwearable, giving me headaches.

Why arent these lenses fitted properly? People with weird feet get proper boots why can't use speccy bastards get our lenses fitted properly? Before going this time I'm getting the advice of an optician to see what needs to be done to get them to work.

Has anyone else had an issue with these glasses on the range? If you get them wet or they mist up they're impossible to clean with a quick wipe as you invariably need to get between the lenses and the main visor. Any attemp to "Get in there" normally ends up with the arms popping of, smaring lenses and ending up with a pile of plastic in my hands!


I have on several occasions been stuck trying to see through them, when wearing any warm weather kit, helmet etc, they mist up. For the ranges I definately prefer my issued specs but would prefer something akin to the Wiley-X range that can be fitted with prescription lenses directly. At the time of writing, I am unable to find a UK optician that will write a US prescription to send in the mail, or to make th lenses due to the unorthodox shape of Wiley-X goggles.

Any ideas?

Originally Posted by mudblood

Has anyone else had an issue with these glasses on the range? If you get them wet or they mist up they're impossible to clean with a quick wipe as you invariably need to get between the lenses and the main visor. Any attemp to "Get in there" normally ends up with the arms popping of, smaring lenses and ending up with a pile of plastic in my hands.

A quick pinch of the nose piece drops the corrective lenses from the rest of the glasses then both can be easily wiped clean.

And attach the arms properly. They have to go 'click'.

Apologies for resurrecting but I was wondering if the ESS eyewear quoted in this thread are still current issue?

Being TA, I pretty much came to the decision it would be easier to get the Rx insert sorted myself (my local optician was very accomodating price wise) so when I do deploy on ops, I've already got the right inserts for the issue specs and goggles. However, if it's likely that the model or supplier is likely to change in the near future (i.e. next year or two) there probably isn't much point.

Originally Posted by OpsSuper

Apologies for resurrecting but I was wondering if the ESS eyewear quoted in this thread are still current issue?

Being TA, I pretty much came to the decision it would be easier to get the Rx insert sorted myself (my local optician was very accomodating price wise) so when I do deploy on ops, I've already got the right inserts for the issue specs and goggles. However, if it's likely that the model or supplier is likely to change in the near future (i.e. next year or two) there probably isn't much point.

Take a copy of your prescription to RTMC (and your receipt for your eye test - claim that one back) hand them in: Glasses, lenses and resi lenses turn up a few weeks later at the address you gave.

Originally Posted by anglianmad

yea mate dewalt and Oakley make a ballistic pair for civie's for the building trade

I'm looking for some ballistic glasses - been looking at Oakley. What would you recommend??

Ah, thanks very much. I was issued them for EX ASKARI THUNDER but the QM had no idea about correctional lenses.

I'll assume it's too late to get these until OP's though?

I use also the ESS - but what do you think about the Bolle 800? Ive got one at home as well but I couldn´t use them in a field yet.

Having been injured in Afghan this summer I cannot praise the ESS glasses enough. At first I found them a pain to wear, but having been smashed in the face, they undoubtedly saved my eye sight.

New type of eyewear in bound. I will write up a piece once I know they are about to be issued

New eyewear here!

Made by Revision.

The 'Sawfly' ballistic glasses come with smoke, yellow and clear like ESS and can also be fitted with a RX insert for us speccy gimps. To keep them in (roughly) the same shape as issued they come with a carry case and a soft case to clean the lenses.

Revision Sawfly 8465-99-743-6580

The 'Bullet Ant' goggles are more of the same and come with a natty black band and black cover that makes the DInf brief/whinge about scrim on helmets utterly pointless. Hurrah!

Revision 'Bullet Ant' 8465-99-743-6585

If you have the joy of RTMC ahead and you need glasses to see beyond the end of your rifle, take your old ESS as in the time you're there it is unlikely you'll get inserts and you have to pass you ACMT wearing ECBA, ballistic glasses and gloves (in addition to what you normally wear so no nakedness on the point!).

Anyone got the NSN for the inserts?

Originally Posted by tearsbeforebedtime

Anyone got the NSN for the inserts?

I'll post it tomorrow. Usefully I got issued with ESS specs but the Sawfly inserts.