It’s Time to Think About Winterizing Those Eyes

Smart Ways To Sell Eyewear for Winter Sports

Rob Tavakoli, Sportrx, San Diego, CA

For us, eyewear for winter sports is a growing category. We design and manufacture our own prescription insert that fits into any ski goggle. We sell this complete insert mounted to an Rx lens direct to the consumer or through the 3Os channel. Smith sells an interesting concept with its optical ODS adapter system that fits inside a goggle and most brands manufacture goggles that fit over glasses. I think the Anon M4 Cylindrical goggle is the best. Fogging is constantly an issue for people in the winter, so we recommend putting a good anti-fog coating on an Rx insert. Color enhancing lenses, like ChromaPop from Smith and Prizm from Oakley, work like magic on the snow by offering clarity and contrast to skiers.

Chris Merciez, Envision, Boulder, CO

Our doctors are avid skiers, so they generally talk to the patient about skiing when they’re in the room with them. This is helpful and offers a seamless transition for us to get them what they need. Many of our patients see all types of sports eyewear when they’re on the slopes so they’re already aware of what they want when they come in. We stock all types of brands – Smith goggles, Zeal goggles, Maui Jim and Oakley. Zeal, Bollé and Smith have designed an insert that goes behind the ski goggle and Smith offers a turbo fan option to prevent fogging. If the patient doesn’t want a goggle, then they may like the idea of a prescription sunglass that works for both skiing and regular wear.