More than 40,000 eye injuries occur every year in all different types of sports, whether it be football, cycling, skiing, baseball, basketball, pickleball, or almost any sport out there. Unfortunately, 90% of those injuries could’ve been prevented by wearing good-quality sports goggles, sports-related eye injuries range from minor ones such as black eye -bleeding in the eyelids- to more major ones such as ruptured eyeballs that can lead to permanent vision loss, detached retinas which increase the risk of blindness, or orbital blowout fractures that cause bones to break all around the eye. Here’s one story of many famous eye injury stories, the famous basketball player James Harden was playing against the Warriors on the 31st of April 2019 when he accidentally got hit in the eye by Draymond Green while striving to get a rebound, Harden had gotten visible cuts on the left eyelid which would turn out to be a bruised retina, the man was lucky as he avoided a serious injury that could’ve cut his career short, if the hit was harder he would’ve had a retinal detachment which would have lead to vision-threatening damage, and that’s just from trying to win a rebound, you can never expect when a ball or an object might be coming straight to your eyes at extremely high speeds, it’s crucial to be careful at all times and do your best to protect your eyes by wearing a pair of sports protective eyewear and take the time to find the best sports glasses for your specific sport. In this article, we’ll discover everything about sports eyewear and how you can choose the right sports eyeglasses for your favorite sport. Let’s hop in!
Why Is Wearing Sports Eyeglasses Important?
It’s important to wear high-quality sports eyewear as our eyes are majorly exposed to dangerous exterior factors during our sports games, it’s no good to risk your eyes as they’re susceptible and can be easily permanently damaged, and sports glasses do not just protect you from heavy-impact from objects and people coming full force at you, they also make sure you’re well protected from the sun’s harmful UVA, UVB, and UVC light, blue light emitting from screens, harmful chemicals, wind, rain, dirt, glare, reflected light from surfaces, radiation, and many more harmful factors, why risk putting your eyes in front of all these dangerous objects and materials when you can wear a pair of active glasses that are certified by many standards such as the ANSI Z87 and the ASTM standards which guarantee the safety of your eyes. I know that searching for and buying sports goggles is a bit of a hassle, it’s added work on top of your already full to-do list. Still, it’s necessary to take that extra step to find the right sports eyewear for you as it can genuinely be a career saver, the pain of finding the perfect sports eyeglasses for you is better than the pain of regret when you got an elbow hit to your eye. You’re suffering temporary or permanent vision loss just for that, most sports-related eye injuries can be prevented by taking the necessary precautions and getting good-quality safety sunglasses.
What Are The Best Materials For Sports Goggles?
Many materials can be used for sports eyewear but the best material for sports safety glasses is Polycarbonate, this material is used in making military shatterproof glass which goes to show its incredible strength and durability. Polycarbonate sports glasses are shatter-resistant which means they can withstand high impact such as objects flying into your eyes and elbows hitting your face, they’re strong and won’t break just because they fell or something hit them, they’re durable so they can last for years to come saving you money and health, these active glasses are lightweight so they won’t hinder you during your games making you extremely efficient, the view is crystal clear allowing for maximum vision, and they protect your eyes from this sun’s harmful rays such as UVA and UVB. Polycarbonate is the go-to choice for most sports glasses and is the strongest plastic material available in the industry currently.
Another popular choice would be Trivex sports glasses, this material is the most lightweight plastic material in the industry allowing you to play like you’re not even wearing safety glasses, it’s also extremely strong and can resist high-impact for better eye safety, it’s scratch-resistant allowing you to avoid all distractions while playing. Trivex sports glasses also offer 100% UV protection and make sure you have extremely clear vision.
What Type Of Sports Eyewear Should You Choose?
Different sports glasses are made for each type of sport as each activity is different, it’s necessary to choose sports eyewear that perfectly suits your sport and will fully protect your eyes while maximizing your performance on your particular field, here’s a list of the perfect glasses for each dedicated sport:
Football Glasses: Sports Goggles
Basketball Glasses: Sports Glasses / Wraparound Sports Goggles
Skiing & Snowboarding Glasses: Sports Goggles / Wraparound Sports Sunglasses
American Football Glasses: Polycarbonate Sports Glasses
Shooting & Hunting Glasses: Shatterproof Sports Polarized Sunglasses
Tennis Glasses: Wraparound Sports Goggles
Cycling Glasses: Anti-Fog & Anti-Scratch Sports Sunglasses
Running Glasses: Polycarbonate Wraparound Sports Goggles
Baseball Glasses: Shatterproof Sports Glasses / Sports Sunglasses With Head Strap
Pickleball Glasses: Wraparound Sports Goggles
Rugby Glasses: Polycarbonate Sports Glasses
Ice Hockey Glasses: Full-Face Protective Helmet
Field Hockey Glasses: Sports Goggles With Head Straps
Swimming & Diving Glasses: Sports Goggles / Diving Masks
Volleyball Glasses: Sports Eyeglasses / Sports Sunglasses
Paintball Glasses: Full-Face Protective Helmet
Fishing Glasses: Polarized Sports Sunglasses
Golf Glasses: Polarized Sports Sunglasses
Handball Glasses: Trivex Sports Goggles
Water Polo Glasses: Polycarbonate Swimming Goggles
Jet Ski Glasses: Sports Sunglasses / Sports Goggles
You might notice that many of these sports have the same protective eyewear but that goes to show the versatility of sports eyewear and how it can be used for many sports at once, nonetheless, the list is important as it highlights the perfect protective eyewear for sports for each category and type of activity, it must be taken seriously.
What Are The Best Sports Glasses Brands?
Many sports glasses brands exist but there are a few companies that are beyond other competitors, making premium sports glasses that are both safe and fashionable, while it heavily depends on the type of sport you’re practicing, the best sports glasses make sure they produce quality sports eyewear for every activity a person can do, these are are my 5 go to best sports glasses currently in the industry if you asked me for advice on buying safety glasses:
OAKLEY Sports Glasses: OAKLEY Eyewear offers by far the best sports eyeglasses in the market, their active glasses come with the Prizm lens technology that allows for enhanced detail, precise color tuning, and improved performances anywhere you play. The Plutonite material within the glasses allows for full 100% protection against UV light, and the High Definition Optics technology allows for a sharp focus and crystal clear images, these are just some of many patented technologies that come with the OAKLEY sports sunglasses, they’re truly a unique sports eyewear brand, personally my favorite.
NIKE Sports Glasses: Since NIKE is a premium sports brand it has to make premium sports eyewear, the NIKE ANSI-rated sunglasses are some of the best in the market with their fashionable look and their seriously protective aspect, the lenses are specifically tented for specific sports and the quality of the sports glasses is unmatchable, they are extremely strong and comfortable due to the premium materials put into the process of crafting one of these sports goggles.
REC SPECS Sports Glasses: REC SPECS Eyewear is made specifically for athletes who want high-quality protective glasses for sports, their safety glasses exceed the ASTM F803 standards for extreme safety and strength as they’re shatterproof and durable, they’re perfect for people of all ages and offer sports goggles for any type of sport or activity.
WILEY X Sports Goggles: Made from the best materials on the market, WILEY X Eyewear makes sure you’re wearing the thinnest and strongest safety sports glasses on the market, with shatter-resistant Selenite™ polycarbonate lenses, a T-Shell™ hard coat, and extremely durable Triloid™ nylon frames, these safety glasses for sports make sure they exceed the ANSI standards dor top safety and comfort.
ADIDAS Sports Eyewear: With their technologically impressive advancements in sports eyewear products, ADIDAS Eyewear does its best to exceed its competitor NIKE in everything, the LST lenses enhance color and performance with simultaneous changes of light with the change of weather making them perfect for any environment wherever and whenever, the sports glasses are very comfortable, flexible, and strong making them some of the best protective glasses on the market.
What Is The Future Of Sports Glasses?
There is a big and bright future for sports eyewear as sports companies such as OAKLEY Eyewear and NIKE Eyewear are developing better and more advanced features to further enhance athletes’ performances and make them achieve the next level, smart sports glasses are also making an intro offering awe-inspiring features and traits such as access to databases full of information to make you play better by reshaping your skills and techniques and motivating you to the max by playing some Rocky Balboa music, the possibilities are limitless and you never know what’s coming, all I know is that the future is shining with positivity and greatness for sports eyewear and that’s what matters at the essence of it all.
Are Sports Smart Glasses A Better Option?
Sports smart goggles are making a big intro to the industry and they’re a true alternative to consider for better performances on your particular sport, but I wouldn’t say they compare to companies such as OAKLEY Eyewear and WILEY X Eyewear quality-wise, the classic sports glasses are still ahead of sports smart eyeglasses since the latter is still at early development and testing phases, it needs a lot of work and refining, but it’s only a matter of time for smart glasses to become the norm for athletes and professionals, though for now, I would advise you to get the classic sports eyewear and get going in the field doing your best and most importantly, having fun.
Conclusion
As we have discovered in this article, wearing a pair of high-quality sports sunglasses can not only protect your eyes from heavy damage and dangerous symptoms, but it has many other benefits, it will add to your fashion on the pitch which will automatically add more confidence to your plays, research has shown that the better you look, the better you play, wearing some good-looking glasses for sports will automatically affect you and how you feel which will translate to better games on the field, that’s why in all of my sports eyewear articles I try to provide fashionable premium sports goggles, the goal is not only to protect your eyes, it’s relatively easy to find sports sunglasses that are shatterproof but to find ones that also make you look good, yeah that’s a bit harder. It’s important to note that sports glasses indirectly make you a better player as they help block distractions such as rain, glare, UV light, dirt, chemicals, wind, and other performance-lowering materials, allowing you to play at your maximum making you look good, guaranteeing your protection, and removing annoying exterior factors from your sight. It’s necessary to mention that while safety sports glasses will help you reach that next level, you have to put in the effort and work hard day by day every single day to become a better player, treat sports goggles and such accessories as just that, accessories, what truly matters is what you got in your reservoir. Do you want it as no one else wants it? Are you striving to be the best of the best in your particular sport? Are you actively doing the work that needs to be done to reach your goals? If your answer to all the previous questions is a yes, then sports glasses will assist you in getting what you deserve, stay hard. If you want to check out the best sports eyewear for your sport, check out my other sports articles as I have done the hard work to find you the best protective eyewear for sports out there, ranging from baseball sports glasses to basketball safety goggles, I’ve got it all. You don’t want to miss it!
