According to the American Optometric Association, approximately 80% of what a child learns in school is acquired through vision, and […]
Contact lenses are increasingly popular these days, including among athletes. But which are the best?
Serious athletes who need vision correction should consider contact lenses as a great option to reduce some of the negatives that glasses can have on athletic performance.
Contact lenses have many advantages over glasses for athletes.
Since contact lenses sit right on the surface of your eyes, you’ll get crisper vision, with fewer distortions. Additionally, unlike with glasses, your peripheral vision isn’t limited. You also don’t need to worry about reflections like you might need to with glasses.This gives the athlete better vision than glasses of the same strength could provide, which can help improve their performance and potentially also help avoid injury.
Glasses can also move around on your face as you engage in sporting activities and be a distraction, and there is also a risk they could get damaged. Especially in sports where you have to wear headgear, glasses can be more of a liability, and wearing contacts means you won’t need to find prescription eyewear for sports that require eye protection.
No worries about sweat messing with your eyewear, anything getting fogged up, or about having to make adjustments mid-game.
Contact lenses are not recommended for use while you partake in water sports. This is because there’s a risk that bacteria in water can contaminate the lenses and cause infection. Prescription goggles are recommended for water sports.
While contact lenses are clearly a good option for athletes who need vision correction, which types are best?
There aren’t contact lenses that are specifically made for sports. However, some types are better suited. One example is daily disposable lenses, which don’t require the same maintenance as reusable lenses. They are simple to keep extras available and don’t require cleaning.
Soft lenses are usually a better option than hard contact lenses as they move around less and are less likely to fall out during sporting events.
Gas permeable lenses are sometimes recommended for use during sports, as they provide very crisp vision and are breathable, which can be helpful for the eyes as you move about a lot. While they are hard lenses (as opposed to daily disposables, which are soft), the increased performance they can provide may be worth it.
When it comes to hard contact lenses for athletes, scleral lenses are often considered the best option. Athletes can benefit from scleral lenses, which offer amazing vision and provide great results during athletics. Athletes like Brandon Williams from the Baltimore Ravens, Steph Curry from the Golden State Warriors, and Diamond DeShields from the Chicago Sky know this firsthand. These star athletes wear scleral contact lenses and now have sharp vision to display their true sporting abilities.
A few benefits of scleral lenses for athletes include:
Ortho-k lenses are a lesser known vision correction alternative that can work extremely well for athletes. Unlike most other contact lenses, ortho-k lenses are worn only overnight. As they are worn at night, these lenses reshape the cornea to correct your vision, and you won’t need to wear anything in or on your eyes throughout the day.
For athletes, this means not having to worry about wearing anything on or in their eyes while engaging in sporting activities. No risk of discomfort from lenses, no risk of lenses falling out or getting out of position in the eyes, no risks of glasses breaking or moving around, all while enjoying crisp vision.
In the U.S, nearly 30,000 sports-related eye injuries are treated in emergency rooms every year. Wearing appropriate protective eyewear can prevent 90% of serious eye injuries. For some athletes who prefer not to wear protective glasses, contact lenses are a great option as they are less likely to cause eye injuries.
As always, it is advised to speak with our eye doctor if you are considering purchasing contact lenses, as they will be best able to discuss your individual needs and make the best possible recommendation for you.
Contact lenses can be a great vision correction option for athletes, providing clear vision without the problems that come from wearing glasses. For some, soft, daily disposable lenses are ideal as a low maintenance option, while others may prefer hard gas permeable lenses that can provide sharper vision to increase performance. For those that are looking for optimal comfort and visual clarity, they may consider scleral lenses. And finally, ortho-k lenses can enable an athlete to have clear, sharp vision all day without needing to wear anything in their eyes while engaging in sporting activities.
If you have any additional questions, or would like to schedule an appointment for an eye exam or contact lens fitting, you can contact Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach at (562) 925-6591.
I haven't actually used the optometrist side, so my review is limited to the vision therapy offered. This office was recommended by my occupational therapist for the treatment of my double vision following a stroke.
Love this location. I had a brain injury accident from day one one. All the team make you feel you still important and hope in the horizon after when the medical system fell you miserably. Dr. Ikeda very professional and very understanding about your issue. Two tombs up.
My husband and I were immediately impressed with Dr Ikeda. I was hit by a car while cycling which caused broken bones and three brain injuries. The brain injuries caused double vision. Dr. Ikeda examined my eyes and got me started on vision therapy with his occupational therapist who specializes in vision therapy. She (Chris) is absolutely great. I am impressed with the array of tools used to help recover my binocular vision. I am doing things I never thought were possible (balance boards etc). Chris pushes me and keeps me motivated. I really enjoy my sessions with her. The office staff is always friendly and they have a wonderful appointment reminder tool that makes it easy to keep my calendar up to date. I am happy the rehab center at Little Co. of Mary recommended them!!
The Vision Therapy is handled in a separate office through a different door from the shared waiting room. Chris, the vision therapist, has a wide and varied assortment of tools, equipment and resources to best evaluate and treat most vision issues. After just a few visits, my double vision became easier to control, using exercises developed during the therapy process. It was time well-spent.
I have been coming here since I can remember. I love it here. The staff is so amazing and nice. They explain everything they gonna do and never make you feel rushed. Dr. Ikeda has always been my doctor and I would never want another one. He is the doctor for my whole family and is always asking how everyone is doing. I am also so crazy about picking out my frames and have to try so many and each person who helps me take the time and lets me try them all on. I would never want to go anywhere else! I definitely would recommend this office to anyone looking for a great eye doctor.
This is not for the eye exam but for the frames selection portion. I brought my prescription from Kaiser here with my VSP insurance. The reception staff was very polite and professional. Manny helped me to pick out frames and explain my coverage. Very helpful and patient not like the individual at the other place I rated here on Yelp. I was running late and he still helped me and was not bothered at all. I am so glad I came here ..........very pleased.
Very professional staff and pleasant.
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