Eyewear

Sports Glasses

A visit to Eye Opticians will help you learn more about the most appropriate type of protective eyewear for you and your child, and to ensure proper fit.

Book an appointment

Edgbaston0121 456 5676 Barnt Green0121 445 4545

Squash

1 in 3

squash players are said to experience some sort of eye injury during their playing career

Why it matters

In the UK, one of the biggest causes of hospital admission involves serious eye injury while playing sports. Eye injuries may result from accidents with equipment like hockey sticks or shuttlecocks, especially in sports which involve fast-moving balls. Racket sports alone account for thousands of eye injuries a year according to RoSPA.

Squash players use a small ball travelling at high speed, which puts them in danger of serious injury, especially to the orbits of their eyes. Other sports which have a high occurrence of eye injuries are football, rugby and basketball.

Sport by sport

Sports Eyewear by Sport

What we recommend for each sport. Polycarbonate and PNX are impact-resistant lens materials; we will talk you through the options at your appointment.

01

Racket sports

Badminton
Sports goggles with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
Squash
Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Tennis
Sports goggles with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
02

Team and ball sports

Basketball
Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Football
Sports goggles with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
Field hockey
Goalie: full-face mask; all others: sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses
Rugby
Approved polycarbonate shield on helmet
03

Cycling and running

Cycling
Sturdy vented wrap-around frames with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
Track and field
Sturdy wrap-around frames with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
04

Water

Swimming and pool sports
Swimming goggles
Diving
Swimming goggles
Fishing sports
Goggles with polycarbonate or PNX lenses
05

Snow

Skiing
Ski goggles with polycarbonate lenses

Step one

Are Your Eyes Fit for Sport?

The first safety measure to consider before taking part in any sporting activity is to check up on your visual ability with an eye examination. This is also the perfect opportunity to find out more about protective eyewear. Before having your eyes examined, explain to your practitioner the reason for your visit. Maybe you already wear spectacles or contact lenses and want to find out if they will be suitable for your sporting activity. Many people don't wear their glasses when playing sport. Alternatively, you may have been experiencing poor vision or headaches while taking part in sport. By telling your practitioner your needs, you will receive the best practical solution for your visual requirements, ensuring your comfort and safety when playing sport.

Step two

The Best Choice for You

Choosing the right visual aid for sport is just as essential as choosing the right equipment or accessories. Just two examples of the benefits that can be gained from making the right choice are the specially designed spectacles developed to help top-ranking snooker players and the prescription-glazed goggles used by swimmers.

Of course, spectacles aren't always the right option for playing sports. It would be impractical to use them in activities where physical contact is involved, or if the lenses are likely to get wet or steamed up. Contact lenses are the practical solution to these problems. Soft contact lenses are the best for most vigorous sports. Most people wear them for the duration of sporting activities even if they don't wear contact lenses for normal daily use. But remember, contact lenses provide very little eye protection. They should be worn, when necessary and appropriate, in conjunction with protective goggles.

Protection

The Way to Clearer, Safer Vision

Certain sports are best performed with the protection of special frames or goggles. Squash, for instance, requires goggles which protect the temples and bridge of the nose as well as the eyes.

Guidelines for

Frames

Lightweight, yet strong enough to resist strong impact
Could be fitted with side pieces that curl securely behind the ears
Should be fitted with an elasticated sports band
Metal frames should be fitted with a padded bridge
Specially designed goggles are preferable

Guidelines for

Lenses

Should be made from impact-resistant plastic or, preferably, polycarbonate
Glass lenses should be avoided but, if used, should be toughened or laminated
For indoor use, lenses should not be tinted or coated to reduce reflection
Polycarbonate, tougher than other materials, must be used for squash

From protection to performance

Oakley

For outdoor sport, performance sunglasses do more than shade: the right lens and frame keep your vision sharp and your eyewear in place. We can fit most Oakley sunglasses and sport frames with prescription lenses.

Prizm
Lens tints tuned colour by colour to boost contrast where the eye is most sensitive to detail, with versions tuned for activities such as golf and snow.
Plutonite
Oakley’s optical-grade polycarbonate lens material: impact resistant, and filters 100% of UVA, UVB and UVC.
Grip
The original handlebar-grip material, still used on earsocks and nose pads so frames stay put when you sweat.