Benefits of Contact Lenses Over Glasses in Sport

Research suggests that contact lenses provide some benefits over glasses while playing sports. Compared to glasses contact lenses enable more ease of wear during sports as well as the following advantages:

Wider Field of View

Contact lenses provide all-around vision, while glasses may restrict the field of view. Studies show that contact lenses can increase the peripheral field of vision by approximately 15 percent over glasses.1

Better depth perception

Reflections on the surface of glasses can be very distracting during sport and can cause a momentary loss of focus. Contact lenses move with the eyes so that the center of the lens is always in line of sight, helping to eliminate potential distortions and blind spots associated with glasses.

Eliminate distortion and distraction

Reflections on the surface of glasses can be very distracting during sport and can cause a momentary loss of focus. Contact lenses move with the eyes so that the center of the lens is always in line of sight, helping to eliminate potential distortions and blind spots associated with glasses.

Low risk of damage to contact lenses vs. glasses while playing sport

Most glasses do not offer the impact resistance necessary to protect the wearer from injuries to the eyes. Contact lenses can help eliminate some of the worry. Contact lenses also often provide a more convenient mode of correction for young, active children who participate in a variety of sporting activities. Glasses don’t fit well under football, hockey or baseball helmets, and they often fly off children’s faces during activities such as gymnastics and cheerleading.

Your Eye Care Professional can help you find the best eyewear option for your chosen sport and individual needs. If you are considering contact lenses, seek his/her advice about activities involving contact with water, such as swimming or water sports, as well as showering afterwards. Exposing contact lenses to water may increase the risk of eye infection that could lead to vision loss. If your contact lenses unexpectedly come into contact with water, such as from an unplanned swim, discard them afterwards and replace with a fresh pair.

Wearing protective sports eyewear is as important as putting on other protective gear such as helmets and pads. Learn more about the importance of wearing specific sports-eyewear protection to help protect your eyes when playing sports.

 

References

  1. Benjamin WL. Visual optics of contact lenses in clinical contact lens practice. Bennett ES, Weissman BA, Editors. 1991; JB Lippincott: Philadelphia.
  2. Sports Eye Injuries by the Numbers – Infographic, American Optometric Association, Accessed – August 24, 2018
  3. R. Sterling haring, DO, MPH, Isaac D. Sheffield, BS, Joseph K. canner, MHS, et al, Epidemiology of Sports-Related Eye Injuries in the United States, JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134(12):1382-1390. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/2578714