Eyewear for Different Sports
Every sport requires something different from its players, be it speed, agility, precision, teamwork, or strength. Each sport requires unique eyewear to best protect its players from injuries while also enhancing vision for superior performance. Below is a list of popular sports and types of protective eyewear that are essential to safe and comfortable play.
Information on protective eyewear involving tennis badminton squash racquetball and ping-pong:
Eye injuries are fairly common in racket sports; as balls rackets and players are all moving about quickly in a confined area. Polycarbonate goggles or glasses will protect your eyes. Goggles with prescription lenses will help visual acuity when not wearing contact lenses or if you do not like wearing prescription glasses under goggles.
Specialty sunglasses designed for tennis players are available. The unique tinting of these lenses intensifies the colour of the tennis ball making it easier to track thereby enhancing a player's game.
Basketball and Volleyball:
Injuries from basketball and volleyball sports are primarily due to an accidental finger or ball in the eye. Polycarbonate goggles should lie close to your face to protect you from both large and small objects. Secure the frames with an elastic sports band so that the frames cannot fall off or become loose during play.
Baseball Rugby Soccer and Football:
In these rough contact sports eye injuries result from balls hitting players when they use their body parts to block each other. To protect the eyes and the head from injury helmets and polycarbonate eye protection should be worn at all times when permitted by game rules.
Swimming:
Chlorine, a chemical often used to clean indoor and outdoor pools, is a corrosive substance that can damage the cornea over time with extended exposure. Even after a few hours in a highly chlorinated pool many swimmers experience red, irritated eyes. Swimmers who wear contact lenses should remove their lenses before entering the water if they do not use watertight goggles. Although it is possible to swim with your eyes closed, if you inadvertently open your eyes underwater you may lose your contact lens or expose it to micro-organisms in the water. Chlorine molecules bind easily to the contact lens material and in doing so prolong your cornea's exposure to the chlorine and increase the risk of harm to your eye. Prescription goggles are available for those who wear eyeglasses and who want clear underwater vision, while non-prescription goggles are for those with normal vision or contact lenses. Non-prescription goggles are readily available at retail or specialty stores.
Surfing Sailing Water Skiing Diving and Fishing:
Outdoor water sports enthusiasts have many natural elements with which to contend. The reflection of the sun off the water ultraviolet (UV) rays salt water wind and the possibility of a hard fall are a few. Shatterproof polycarbonate goggles will prevent the lenses from breaking and causing injury in the event of a fall. Lenses with a protective UV coating will shield your eyes from the hazards of UV rays while polarized lenses or mirrored coatings will reduce glare from water. This makes it easier to see while sailing or fishing.
Similar to goggles for swimmers diving masks and goggles for outdoor water sports are available with or without a prescription. If the goggles or masks have a prescription pre-made ones with a prescription identical to both eyes or custom made ones that are unique to your eyes' needs are available.
Consult your eyecare practitioner if you wish to wear your contact lenses while diving as he or she should give you permission to wear them. This is because hard lenses can dig into your eyes due to water pressure at certain depths while soft lenses are prone to attracting micro-organisms in the water.
Skiing and Snowboarding:
Skiing and snowboarding are great winter sports; in order to enjoy them properly your eyes should be protected from the snow wind sun and potential accidents.
Shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses with frames in soft, flexible materials are the best choice for these sports. Traditional metal frames can become cold and brittle and may break. Other features of your ski goggles should include protection from UV rays, anti-fog ventilation for an unobstructed view, and polarization to reduce the sun's glare off the snow. Most goggles are attached to a thick elastic strap that goes around the wearer’s head to keep the goggles firmly in place.
Ski goggles are generally large as they protect your face and eyes from snow, wind, and ice. Some goggles are smaller and may be mistaken for regular sunglasses. However they are still designed to fit closely around the eye and often have wraparound lenses to provide protection as well as a wide field of view. The lenses are frequently available in a yellow tint that enhances contrast to define shapes and bumps in the snow.
Cycling:
Cyclists must contend with wind and flying debris as potential causes of vision obstruction or eye injury. Well-fitted, aerodynamic, polycarbonate lenses, worn with an elastic strap to keep the glasses in place, will help prevent these problems and allow you to concentrate on the path ahead. Wrap-arounds offer the best protection for cyclists; most come with interchangeable lenses for different lighting conditions.
Hunting and Archery:
In sports involving bullets or arrows it is of utmost importance to wear protective eyewear.
Specialty features such as flip sunglasses can help your eyes adjust to varying light conditions in wooded areas. Yellow or orange tints improve contrast and visual acuity in hazy overcast and dark conditions. Brown or grey tints block out sunlight on bright days and red tints can enhance the target against a dark background of trees.
Polycarbonate lenses with UV protection a scratch resistant coating and an appropriate tint are the best choice for these sports.