Glass or contact lenses wearer, do not let your eyewear prevent you from playing a sport.

sports eyewear selection

The Guide to Sports Eyewear. Glasses or Contact Lenses, which one to choose?

Watching Michael Phelps win another gold effortlessly or Simone Biles doing those flips and take the gold at the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio made me think about a non 20/20 vision person swimming or doing some gymnastics with his/her glasses or contact lenses. We bring you tips on how you can do so. Well of course not on how to be gold medallist at the Olympics but how you can swim or flips or do any sports when you are glass or contact lenses wearer.

Contact Lenses

They seem to be Tlution for eyewear if you are a sports person.

The case for wearing contacts is clear:

  • They don’t fog up
  • They enable you to retain your peripheral vision
  • They won’t slip off your face when you sweat
  • They are a much safer alternative as they are less likely to cause an eye injury than glasses
  • Wearing your prescription contacts also allows you to layer any sport sunglasses or goggles on top of your lenses, even while in a pool.

One of the biggest drawbacks of wearing contacts during sports is that a contact could fall out in the middle of an activity or game.

Glasses

The only advantage of glasses is that nowadays nearly all sports eyewear can be made with prescription lenses, whether you need scuba goggles, sunglasses, or protective sport glasses. At Gaya Opticians, we do have prescription swimming goggles. The disadvantage of prescription sports eyewear is that they are quite expensive.

The major drawback of wearing your day-to-day prescription glasses is that they can break. Also, glasses frames reduce peripheral vision which, functionally, can affect your performance during team sports or intense race situations.

The following chart summarizes recommended eye protection for a variety of sports.

SportsEye protection
BadmintonSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
BaseballPolycarbonate face guard or other certified safe protection attached to the helmet for batting and base running; sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses for fielding
BasketballSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
BicyclingSturdy street-wear frames with polycarbonate or CR-39 lenses
FencingFull-face cage
Field Hockey (both sexes)Goalie: full-face mask; all others: sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
American FootballPolycarbonate shield on helmet
Full-contact martial artsNot allowed
HandballSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Ice HockeyHelmet and full-face protection
Lacrosse (male)Helmet and full-face protection required
Lacrosse (female)Should at least wear sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses and have option to wear helmet and full-face protection
RacquetballSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Football/SoccerSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Softball Polycarbonate face guard on a helmet for batting and base running; sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses for fielding
SquashSports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Street hockeySports goggles with polycarbonate lenses; goalie: full face cage
Swimming and pool sportsSwim goggles recommended
Tennis: Doubles and Singles Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses or Sturdy street-wear frames with polycarbonate lenses
Track and fieldSturdy street-wear frames with polycarbonate or CR-39 lenses
Water poloSwim goggles with polycarbonate lenses

Gaya Opticians is here to advice you on the proper eyewear for the sports that you practice. Call us to book an appointment.