Are you in love with sports, active lifestyle and a healthy way of living? Amazing. We want to congratulate you for your discipline, your energetic and passionate personality. To always expect more of yourself, to push yourself to the limit in order to perform better each time and achieve the goals you set, is not an easy thing to do.
So what do you do to keep your vision protected, while doing what it is you love to do? There are different models and several types of sportswear eyeglasses that are intended to protect your sight and even enhance your performance in your athletic activities. As there is a variety of sports that one may be involved with, we will be categorizing sports into 3 types:
- Low Risk Sports
- High Risk Sports
- Very High Risk Sports
Low Risk Sports:
Low risk sports are thought to be those that no contact with another individual is required, and those that don’t have to do with flying objects, sticks or the use of an instrument of any type.
All sorts of gymnastics and out-on-field activities, that don’t require a vehicle, such as running and swimming are considered to be of low risk. Here we would like to point out, that for swimming for example, if the water is not properly cleaned, it can cause significant problems, even dangerous infections.
High Risk Sports:
Sports of High risk are considered the ones were the use of objects is required, such as soccer (or football), tennis, basketball, baseball, even ping pong. Most of sports are of high risk even if they don’t seem to be that dangerous or extreme.
Cycling, hiking and other outdoor activities may enclose risks, such as exposure to harmful UV rating, or in case of an accident, to harmful injuries of your eyes and subsequently to your vision.
Very High Risk Sports:
In very High risk sports, unfortunately the use of protective eye gear is not possible. Boxing, martial arts and wrestling are sports were athletes come into extreme contact and are vulnerable to severe injuries.
Finding the correct eyewear:
In Low risk sports, the best eyewear are goggles for swimming and diving, and light aerodynamic or wraparound glasses for other on the field activities.
In High risk sports, it makes sense that suitable eyewear, depends on the sport you choose to do. Athletes of track and field activities and those who engage in outdoor sports, should use lightweight wraparound glasses with polycarbonate lenses. When fishing, golfing, hunting or skiing, you should prefer antiscratch, polarized lenses. Cyclists should use performance glasses with antiscratch coatings or polycarbonate lenses. Sports such as baseball, hockey, handball and racquetball require glasses with polycarbonate or unbreakable (shatterproof) lenses and antiscratch coatings, to ensure the best and safest performance.
In sports of very High risk, unfortunately the use of protective eyewear is not possible. In these types of sports, all athletes should be regularly visiting their ophthalmologists to have their eyes checked, from corneal abrasion or retinal detachment.
Finally, we would like to offer some advice, on what to pay close attention to, when choosing the correct eyewear for your beloved sporting activities:
- You should not buy eyewear such as eye guards or goggles that don’t include lenses.
- As per the AAO (American Association of Ophthalmology) you should select eyewear of which the lenses are designed in a way, that in case you find yourself in an accident, they will pop out (be separated) from the frame.
- Polycarbonate lenses and shatterproof lenses are the most reliable types of lenses in case of an accident or impact.
- Last, in your outdoor activities always remember to choose eyewear with 100% UV protection
