Sports and visual health

23 February 2023

Healthy eyes and vision are extremely important for optimal sports performance. There are several important visual skills that can affect the practice of a sport. If you want to perform at your best, it is essential that you make sure you see your best.

A comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist will reveal any vision problems that may be hindering your performance. If a problem is detected, this professional will be able to recommend options to help you see your best.

Sports glasses, or glasses made specifically for an athlete, can have a profound effect on your performance. These are becoming increasingly popular among athletes. Being able to see clearly on a sunny day can greatly improve performance in many outdoor sports.

Polarized lenses help eliminate annoying glare from the sun. You'll see everything you need to see with sharper vision. Plus, you'll be protected from all harmful UV rays with good sunglasses. Not only that, but specific tinting colors will enhance the contrast so you can see balls of certain colors faster and easier.

All athletes, and especially those involved in certain high-risk sports, should consider eye protection when playing their sport. Every year, thousands of children and adults suffer sports-related eye injuries. However, almost all of them can be prevented with proper protective eyewear.

An eye injury can be serious. The most common types of eye trauma that can result from sports are blunt injuries, corneal abrasions and penetrating injuries.

Many people believe that wearing regular glasses while playing sports will protect their eyes. However, the lenses of regular eyewear can break upon impact from a ball, which could result in a penetrating injury. All sports eyewear should be made with polycarbonate lenses, which are much stronger than regular lenses.

Each sport has a certain type of recommended protective eyewear, as determined by ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials). High-risk sports requiring protective eyewear include basketball, baseball, field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, fencing, paintball, water polo, racquetball and downhill skiing.