Glasses or contacts? Breaking down what’s best for sports

Your glasses or contact lenses must be appropriate for your corresponding sport

Photo by Budgeron Bach/Pexels

Participating in any sports or fitness activity is difficult if you have poor eyesight. Personally, it’s a challenge because I can’t perform at my best if I don’t wear my glasses or contact lenses. If you’re like me, here are a few reminders.

For those wearing glasses

Runner and optometrist John Womack, O.D. told Runners World that one mistake people tend to make is to wear regular glasses when they go for a run. This is something I’m guilty of, too. Whenever we expose ourselves to sunlight, it’s a must to have glasses that block UV rays. We should also ensure our glasses don’t slip off our face while we move or consider shatter-resistant material, specifically polycarbonate, because glasses like these are 10 times more impact-resistant than average ones.

Investing in the right glasses for sports will save our eyesight and at the same time help us avoid sabotaging our actual glasses. Because let’s face it, not all glasses are durable enough for sports.

For those wearing contact lenses

When working out, I actually prefer to wear contact lenses. It just feels lighter, especially when I run. Womack says that the best contact lenses for runners are single-use ones but this could honestly be a hassle for many. If you’re like me who reuses contacts every now and then, remember to avoid getting water in our contacts because this can lead to discomfort and even serious damage to our vision. Remember to clean the contacts regularly with solution and always update the lenses with the right prescriptions.

Optometrists say it’s best to opt for soft and disposable contact lenses rather than hard ones. It’s also important to consider buying contacts that can maintain moisture to keep eyes hydrated at all times.

Protect the eyes at all costs

It’s easy to ditch our glasses or contacts when we work out, especially if we think that our vision isn’t so bad. But doing so will only strain our eyes more and cause our vision to get worse. We should wear the right glasses and contact lenses like how we wear a seatbelt.

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