A step up from the protection offered by sunglasses, cycling goggles affix firmly to your head and protect you from the elements. The lenses prevent wind, snow, dirt and other debris from irritating your eyes. Many goggles also offer protection against ultraviolet, or UV, radiation, which can harm your eyes.
Debris
Mountain bikers often kick up dust, dirt and other debris that can irritate your eyes or cause them to itch. Goggles prevent these irritants from reaching your eyes and enhance your vision in conditions that could otherwise force you to close your eyes. They protect your eyes from the cold and are useful when riding into a headwind or through falling snow.
Vision
Goggles shield your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation found outdoors, especially reflected during snowy conditions. They also improve your ability to see contrasting shapes such as rocks and potholes. Goggles with prescription lenses are available. Other types of goggles fit over your regular prescription glasses.
Style
Wraparound goggles shield your eyes from wind as well as debris. They are an appropriate choice for cyclists who wear contact lenses, since windy conditions can dry out contacts. Wraparound goggles should include ventilation holes and a sweat bar near the top of the frame. Otherwise, fogging might become a problem. Other goggles have headbands that fit either over or underneath your helmet.
Color
Beyond tinted lenses that block ultraviolet rays, various colored lenses are available that serve different functions during cycling. You can swap lenses, depending on the time of day and weather, using dark lenses during sunny conditions and brown or amber lenses to improve contrast in difficult terrain. Yellow lenses help block glare in low light or overcast conditions, while a clear lens is appropriate for night use. Some lenses accommodate different conditions by changing color as the light changes.
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