Athletes need optimum vision and comfort for the best performance results. Glasses are cumbersome and not always practical, especially under helmets or during active sports and games. Contact lenses offer quite a few advantages for an active lifestyle and playing sports.
Significance
Great vision is crucial for athletes and one of the main reasons athletes choose contact lenses over glasses for sports. The September 2010 issue of the American Optometric Association newsletter reports that seven out of 10 children surveyed reported performing better in sports while wearing contacts instead of glasses.
Disadvantages of wearing glasses during sports include the lenses fogging up, the glasses sliding down the nose or falling off and the edge of the frame blocking the field of vision. Contact lenses provide clear peripheral vision for athletes and can be worn under sports goggles, sunglasses and helmets.
Soft Contact Lenses
Athletes favor soft contact lenses because the lenses are comfortable and stay in place. The Mayo Clinic notes that soft lenses are a good choice for active lifestyles and playing sports because soft lenses conform to the shape of your eye and do not easily pop out. Disposable soft lenses are another advantage for athletes because lenses can be worn as needed and then thrown away.
Rigid Contact Lenses
Rigid gas permeable, or RGP lenses, are made from a different material than soft contact lenses and are smaller and harder. Athletes with certain types of vision corrections, such as astigmatism, require an RGP lens for vision clarity. One drawback to RGP lenses is that they can become dislodged or pop out during rough sports or impact.
Gas permeable lenses are more expensive initially but are easier to clean and do not require replacement as often as soft lenses. Your eye doctor will help you determine which type of contact lens is best for your vision.
Considerations
A new option for athletes is a hybrid lens that combines both the crisp vision of RGP lenses and the comfort and fit of a soft lens. The hybrid contact lens is larger and has soft edges and won't pop out as easily as a regular RGP lens during sports.
