Introduction
It’s not easy when you have problems seeing correctly, let alone play sports with vision problems. For most sports activities, glasses are just not an option- a direct blow to the face can not only break your expensive frame but also seriously injure you. For that, and many other reasons, you are forced to wear contact lenses when playing sports.
The main reason why you wear glasses or lenses is to correct your vision. But, some lenses not only mitigate your vision problems but also slightly improve it, giving you an edge on the field. But, let’s take it step by step; first, we will explain some drawbacks glasses have, then we will compare those with contact lenses, and in the end, we will give you some less apparent benefits of wearing contact lenses when playing sports. Stay with us.
Advantages contact lenses have over glasses.
Glasses are a good solution for correcting your vision because they work for everyone, are easy to put on and off, and will not cause irritation or eye infections. Plus, they are far more affordable. Also, nowadays, glasses are a fashion detail, and a new, quality frame can completely overhaul how you look.
However, on the sports fields, glasses are far from ideal. First, glasses only correct your sight if you look straight ahead. Your peripheral vision will remain unaltered- in other words, stay blurry. This is a severe drawback for sports performance. Furthermore, most sports include running, jumping and other intense activity, and your glasses will hardly stay in the correct position. Not only that, they are likely to fall and break. And of course, you can get hit in the face by a ball, or an elbow, and end up cutting your face. Also, if you are involved in outside activities, your glasses will fog up or get wet, further reducing your vision.
Keep in mind; we are talking about your regular pair of day-to-day glasses, not those specifically designed for sports activities. Those are not fragile, and go around your head, giving you improved peripheral vision. But they are not exactly pretty looking, so you can’t wear them in your day-to-day without looking stupid. And getting another pair just for sports will cost you extra, plus you have to change them and carry them everytime you want to play sports.
Lenses solve all the above-mentioned problems
Clear peripheral vision- unlike glasses, lenses correct your peripheral vision too. Contact lenses will move with your eyes; this will allow you to see clearly, no matter where you look at. Your performance on the field will not suffer.
Perfect position- unlike glasses, contact lenses will never move when you suddenly jump, cut, or change position- they will always stay in place.
No frames- lenses have no frames to obstruct your field of vision.
Reduced injury risk- unlike glasses, lenses will not break and cut your face, if you accidentally get hit.
No damage- lenses will never break, and you don’t have to worry about them accidentally falling on the floor.
No need to change- you can wear the same pair of contact lenses you use in your regular daily activities when playing sports too. This is not only much more convenient but also quite more affordable since you don’t have to buy an extra pair.
The weather does not affect them- contact lenses will not get wet in the rain, will not fog when it’s cold, and you won’t have to wipe them like glasses.
You can wear eye protection on top of them- if you play sports like squash or racquetball, you can wear protection on top of your contacts. That way, your eyes will be protected, and your sight corrected a win-win situation.
Additional benefits
Those benefits contact lenses have over glasses are the obvious ones. But, specialized contact lenses can improve your sports performance even further.
Some contact lenses have a UV factor, that will protect your eyes from the harmful sunlight. Other contact lenses also have tints, that are specifically designed to block light rays of a particular specter. This will significantly reduce glare, allowing you to better focus on small objects. This is especially useful for baseball players. These tinted contacts are also available without a prescription, which makes them a good option for people with excellent vision too. However, these are a custom-made, specialty item, and you will hardly find them in a regular eyewear store. Of course, as with all unique items, these contacts cost much more than regular ones, not to mention glasses. Moreover, they are not ideal for wearing every day- unless of course, you want your whole world tinted. You will probably have to visit a specialist for sports vision to get a pair of tinted contacts. And yes, no matter if you need them to correct your vision or not, you still need a prescription. And also, be warned- contacts will block certain UV rays, but since they don’t cover your whole eyes, you still have to wear sunglasses to get complete protection. So not only you will have to get an extra pair of expensive tinted lenses to give you an edge on the field, but you will also have to invest in sunglasses too if you want to protect your eyes completely. All this to get a slight advantage. So think twice about this investment, especially if you are not a professional athlete.
Conclusion
Both contact lenses and glasses have their own (dis)advantages. But, on the sports field, only one option is viable- contact lenses. Sports glasses can do the trick, but the regular pair you wear daily will simply not be good enough. They can fog up, get wet, break, or even injure you. And, they will move around as you run/turn/jump, and never correct your full field of view, that is why you should definitely wear contact lenses for sports. They can even increase your performance, giving you an edge, but even without that are a much, much better option, in every way, at least on the court.