Winter is approaching, and for many people in British Columbia, that means it’s time to pull on the long johns, get outside, and enjoy their favorite snow sport. Whether you chase thrills as a skier, snowboarder, snowmobiler, prefer the slower pace of snowshoeing and winter hiking, or like the aerobic benefits of Nordic skiing, good protective eyewear is a must-have item when you are out in the snow. But when you are dependent on prescription glasses or contacts, complications arise.
Prescription glasses present a host of problems for snow sports enthusiasts. They have to fit under your goggles and still be comfortable. You have to worry about them fogging up when you go into the lodge or stop to rest. In changeable conditions, you may want to be able to switch from sunglasses to goggles for best visibility.
Rely on prescription glasses and you’ll have to bring goggles AND prescription sunglasses – to ensure you have optimum eyesight. With activities such as downhill skiing and snowmobiling, seeing clearly is a crucial factor – not just for enjoyment, but also for safety. Spotting obstacles and potentially dangerous situations from a distance may be the difference between a great day on the slopes, or a miserable afternoon in the ER… and an unwelcome opportunity to practice walking on crutches.
At Boydvision, we think laser eye surgery is a great choice for winter sports enthusiasts. With top-quality goggles costing $200 or more, you want to have as many options as possible when you choose a brand and style. With laser eye surgery, you won’t have to worry if your glasses will fit underneath. But if you’re relying on a glasses/goggles combination, you may find your choices are limited (often to the most expensive models). Decide on prescription inserts and you’ll add even more cost and generally have to deal with an increased risk of fogging. And, while fit isn’t a factor with contact lenses, there’s still things to consider.
Contacts seem like a good idea, because you don’t need to find goggles that can fit over your glasses. But if you need to readjust them after a hard fall, bulky gloves and/or stiff cold fingers can make that a challenge. Lose a contact entirely and depending on your eyesight, it could mean the end of your day on the slopes altogether. So there’s definitely some downsides to contacts as well.
LASIK by comparison, offers an affordable, permanent alternative. Once you start to factor in the costs to ensure you have the best vision options using regular glasses and goggles, or splurging on a top of the line prescription compatible set that’s only useful for one activity, Boydvision’s $500 per eye LASIK option really starts to show off its advantages. You’ll pay slightly more that if you just bought a pair of goggles, but you’ll be getting a year-round, permanent solution for better vision, instead of a fix that only works in a specific season for a particular activity.
Winter sports can be an expensive proposition. So you want to make the most of your experience. You certainly don’t want to end your day early, or miss out altogether, because you broke your glasses or lost a contact lens in the tumbling fall skiers and snowboarders wryly refer to as a ‘yard sale’. Constant fiddling and worrying about fogging lenses and blurry vision isn’t going to improve your experience either. If you want to make the most of winter fun this year, contact us to find out which laser eye surgery procedure is right for you. Below, a list of BC ski resorts and their opening days, plus some other important winter sports dates, so you can start to plan your winter activities.
Opening Days – BC Ski Resorts
Apex Mountain Resort (Penticton) – December 1
Big White Ski Resort (Kelowna) – December 1
Cypress Mountain Resort (West Vancouver) – Mid-November
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort (Fairmont) – December 21
Fernie Alpine Ski Resort (Fernie) – December 1
Hudson Bay Mountain (Smithers) – Mid-November
Island Lake Cat Skiing (Fernie) – December 16
Kicking Horse Resort (Golden) – December 8
Kimberley Alpine Resort (Kimberley) – December 14
Mount Washington Alpine Resort (Comox Valley) – December 7
Northern Escape Heli-Skiing (Terrace) – December 28
Panorama Mountain Village (Invermere) – December 14
Powder King Mountain Resort (Mackenzie) – November 29
Red Mountain Ski Resort (Rossland) – December 8
Revelstoke Mountain Resort (Revelstoke) – December 1
Shames Mountain (Terrace) – December 8
Silver Star Mountain Resort (Vernon) – November 22
Sun Peaks Resort (Kamloops) – November 17
Whister Blackcomb (Whistler) – November 22
Whitewater (Nelson) – December 1