Eye Protection for Athletes
Being physically active plays an incredibly important role in staying healthy. Even when you’re on the move, you should always be taking proper precautions to protect your eyes. Each set of glasses offers different benefits for the athlete. There are a few components that one should consider when choosing the perfect eyewear for their athletic needs. Whether you’re running, cycling, or mountaineering – you want to make sure that your glasses are up for the challenge. Adjustable temples and non-slip rubber inserts on the nose bridge and temples can help prevent the glasses from slipping and will help maintain a secure grip while you are in motion. You also want to make sure that your frames have proper ventilation and an anti-fog coating to keep your vision as crisp as possible.
Sports eyewear often comes with a variety of customization options for fit, function, aesthetics, and lens choices. When choosing lenses, it’s important that you consider the different benefits that different coatings have. If you intend to use your glasses outdoors often there are great benefits to outfitting your frames with polarized lenses. Polarization enhances the clarity of vision and helps to cut out the often-harmful effects that glare has on the eye. Your eyes will stay in a more relaxed state and eyestrain will be minimized without the distortion of colours. Whether indoors or outdoors, often sport eyewear is used to replace your day-to-day glasses. Many brands offer the option to put a prescription into their specialty sports eyewear to ensure that your eyes are protected and your vision is as clear as possible.
Cyclists and runners are great candidates for sports eyewear. The prolonged exposure to sun, wind, spray and insects can be damaging to the eyes, so protective eyewear is key. Fit is an important aspect of cycling and running glasses. The glasses need to be properly sized so that they stay in position without causing any pressure points as well as being comfortable under a helmet. The glasses must also be well ventilated to maximize airflow and temperature regulation. The Rudy Project Tralyx is currently one of the top performance cycling sunglasses and has been worn by multiple grand tour stage winning cyclist, Andre Griepel. Their comfortable, aerodynamic and lightweight design comes in 16 colours and can be outfitted with many different tints of lenses.
Golfers face a whole different series of obstacles with their eyewear. Golfers often spend long periods of time out in the sun so polarization of lenses is key to prevent glare. Unfortunately, some polarized lenses have been known to interfere with depth perception – a crucial skill for these athletes. Maui Jim has come out with its patented PolarizedPlus2 lenses that feature a high contrast allowing for improved definition on the course. The Maui Jim Ho’okipa Sport allow for the perfect balance between function, fit, and unbelievable comfort.
Protecting your eyes shouldn’t end once your active lifestyle begins. Sports eyewear has become one of the most customizable types of eyewear to perfectly suit the needs and style of every athlete. Visit our Queen St. location to view the most popular protective eyewear from Rudy Project and Maui Jim. To speak to our optician or to book an appointment contact us at info@360eyecare.ca.
