Importance of Sports and Specialty Eyewear

Standard glasses may help you to see clearly in some situations, but innovations in modern eyewear mean that there are now more varieties of corrective and supporting eyewear than ever before. Two of these varieties are known as sports and specialty eyewear, and as their name suggests, they are recommended to be worn in specific situations. 

Here’s what you need to know about sports and specialty eyewear and how it can benefit you and your vision. 

 

Eyewear to Protect Your Eyes From Sports Injuries

An estimated 40,000 eye injuries that result in an emergency room visit occur as a result of sports activities every single year, some of which are vision-altering and even life-changing. Many of these injuries could be avoided simply by wearing the correct sports eyewear. Whether you are an amateur or professional athlete, you could benefit from sports safety eyewear. 

Why Do Sports Eye Injuries Occur? 

Most sports eye injuries are caused by speed. This could be the speed at which the participant is traveling, such as if they are running, cycling, or skiing. However, it could also be the result of something else traveling at high speed such as a ball, puck, or flying debris – sometimes up to as much as 200mph. Injuries can even occur due to close contact with other people, where a rogue hand, arm, or foot. 

Whatever the cause of the injury, the type of damage that can be sustained can be significant. From lacerations to the eyeball to broken eye sockets, the trauma always requires professional intervention to minimize or prevent any long-term damage to your vision. 

Sports Safety Eyewear

Fortunately, there are some types of eyewear that are designed specifically to withstand the impact of flying objects and blunt force trauma, protecting the eyes from harm. In most cases, lenses are polycarbonate which is extremely impact resistant. Meanwhile, the preferred style of most sports’ safety eyewear is wraparound, which fits closely to the face, preventing any objects from penetrating the sides of the lenses. They also fit more securely, meaning you won’t have to worry about them slipping off while you are in the middle of an activity. 

 

Prescription Sports Eyewear

Did you know that it’s now possible to get sports eyewear made to your prescription? This is great news for people with refractive eye errors who would normally rely on glasses or contact lenses to help them see clearly. And of course, clarity of vision is essential if you are to perform the best of your ability every time you get involved in your chosen activity. If this sounds like you, ask your eye doctor about the possibility of prescription sports eyewear. 

 

Lenses to Enhance Your Performance

While we are talking about performance, it’s also important to note that specific types of lenses are now available which could boost your athletic achievements. These include:

Photochromic lenses: these lenses automatically adapt to the surrounding environment so that you can move between them rapidly without your vision being compromised. For example, they will darken if the sun suddenly becomes bright, preventing you from being dazzled or needing to stop to put sunglasses on.  

Performance tints: studies have found that certain lens tints can help enhance visual clarity and as a result, athletic performance, in specific lighting conditions. For example, yellow/orange tints filter out blue light and provide sharper focus in situations where there is a lot of sky or water, such as when skiing, snowboarding, or sailing. Meanwhile, brown and copper tints enhance the contrast between green grass and blue sky, making them ideal for sports like cricket and golf. If you aren’t sure which tints are right for you, your eyewear provider will be happy to help advise you. 

 

Specialty Eyewear: Computer Glasses

As you’ve probably guessed, computer glasses are prescription glasses that are designed to be worn when using the computer. They are important because a computer is typically further away than you would hold a book or other reading material, but not far away enough to be considered distance vision. Computer glasses work by placing the optimum lens power for seeing a computer screen clearly right where it is needed. Wearing computer glasses can help reduce digital eyestrain and its associated symptoms, keeping your eyes healthy and comfortable while you work or enjoy recreational computer use.

 

Specialty Eyewear: Other Protective Glasses
 

Depending on the environment you work in or the hobbies you enjoy, you may be recommended to wear safety eyewear. Safety eyewear is a form of protective eyewear that is designed to enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent chemicals, debris, or other hazardous substances from entering the eyewear. Common areas where protective glasses or even goggles are recommended include in chemistry laboratories, woodworking studios, landscape gardening, manufacturing/construction, and more. If you feel that you should have protective eyewear and don’t, don’t hesitate to speak to your employer. 

For more guidance on sports and specialty eyewear, please contact our experienced and knowledgeable team in Olathe, KS and De Soto, KS.