My name is Stephen and I have been a customer of Eyewear Accessories for about a month.
I am a regular cyclist, jogger and fell walker. I also enjoy photography and mathematics and spend quite some time on the computer on these hobbies well as on work for several research committees which I serve on.
Dry eyes have been really affecting my quality of life
I have dry eye syndrome from MGD, meaning that my eyes water and get uncomfortable in any wind.
They can also become uncomfortable indoors while carrying out everyday activities such as cooking, reading, cleaning or working on the computer.
I have some very effective prescription eye drops but have always felt it would be an advantage to be able to use them somewhat less frequently.
Getting suitable eyewear for indoor and outdoor activities
I have written a separate post describing how I discovered Eyewear Accessories and purchased a 7eye Ventus for outdoor sports.
When I emailed John, founder of Eyewear Accessories, about my requirements for outdoor windproof glasses, I added that I might be interested in buying some glasses mainly for indoor use but which would also be suitable for everyday activities such as walking to the shops or medical appointments.
How I decided which Ziena glasses to trial
I read the wealth of information on the Eyewear Accessories website, took some suitable measurements of my eyes and face and identified what I thought were the most suitable glasses for me.
I felt that a Ziena Kai or Marina would be ideal for these non-sporting activities. I was becoming quite sold on the idea of moisture chambers!
Given my measurements, John recommended that I should try out both the Kai and the Marina as each stood a good chance of fitting and it was very hard to predict which would be the better.
I also wanted to compare the clear lens with the Eclypse photochromic lens.
John assured me that I would be quickly refunded for any items I did not want to keep.
Why I chose the Ziena Marina
When my parcel arrived, I quickly eliminated the Kai as it did not fit my face despite its very close match on the measurements. The Marina, however, was a perfect fit!
I tried them out indoors in front of a very powerful fan and standing outside in the wind. I also compared the clear lens with the Eclypse photochromic and found the Eclypse worked extremely well indoors as well as outdoors. I bought the Marina with Eclypse lenses, returned the other items and received an immediate refund.
Adjusting the Marina to get the best fit
The first task after purchase was to adjust the flexible ear pieces, for which the strange technical term is “temple ends” – who knew? For the moisture chamber to be effective, the eye cups have to fit closely with as few gaps as possible but there is no need to feel as though your head is in a vice. The Marina eye cups are very soft and comfortable.
The glasses have reduced my dependence on eye drops
By wearing the Marina glasses every day, I definitely use eye drops less frequently and yet my eyes feel much better.
I produce tears lacking in lubrication, not insufficient tears. However, once the eyes dry out, they make extra tears to compensate and this results in washing out whatever lubrication was there before.
This makes them more uncomfortable and so the eyes make even more tears and remove even more of the lubrication.
Reducing the tendency to dry out avoids or delays entering this cycle. With daily use of the Marina, I find that I can make less frequent use of the eye drops while still keeping my eyes comfortable.
Trying out the clear and the black eye cups
One thing I did notice was that I was somewhat distracted by the light colour of the clear Marina eye cups. I am not photophobic but was aware of the unfamiliar light in my peripheral vision, closer in than the dark frame.
The eye cups are also available in black so I ordered some of these. The Marina eye cups are extremely easy to remove and fit, so experimenting is simple.
The black eye cups are less distracting and I thought they would be my regular choice for the Marina.
Now I have used the Marina for a bit longer, I have got used to the clear eye cups and they do make the glasses less heavy in appearance.
The photochromic lenses worked best for me
In all these images, the lens is the Eclypse photochromic which is completely clear indoors, making the Marina look like conventional glasses. It goes to a light grey outdoors and goes still darker in stronger sunlight.
The lens adapts very quickly when going back indoors, becoming completely clear in a couple of minutes at the most.
Wearing the Marina around the town
I have now worn the Marina with clear eye cups on some trips to appointments and to the shops too. This included a walk of about two miles in bright sun with a strong wind at around 5 degrees C. The wind seal was excellent and my eyes stayed completely comfortable.
By the time I walked through the building to my appointment, the lenses had become clear and were just like ordinary spectacle lenses to a casual observer.
My overall conclusion – Marina vs Ventus
For outdoor sports, I love the 7eye Ventus with its wraparound, streamlined style.
For non-sporting activities, I think the Marina with clear eye cups allows me to be more confident and not self-conscious in company or in the street.
I also have the option of the dark eye cups on the Marina if I am feeling particularly sensitive to the light around my peripheral vision but, as I am becoming used to that light, I find I am comfortable with the clear eye cups. Swapping the eye cups is so easy that I do not feel I need to crystallise a choice anyway.
Always, the guidance with moisture chamber glasses is that you should concentrate on fit rather than style. I am lucky in that I now have two fitting options, the Ventus and the Marina, and hence have the luxury of being able to select the most appropriate style for each of my activities.
Written by Stephen, 13 February 2022