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Football Eyewear
Close physical contact make football a moderate
risk sport for eye injuries. Goggles not only provide protection from
injury, but can also be fit with your prescription in
them. Look for the following
when selecting the right type of goggle:
- Polycarbonate Lenses: This is
the most important property of all protective
goggles. Good polycarb is virtually unbreakable,
and will sustain the impact of a ball or finger.
- Durable Frame Design: The frame
must also be able to withstand the impact of a
ball or finger. Therefore, a frame made out of
polycarbon is the the best choice. Shields are
becoming more popular for this sport, however, do
not offer the best protection. (see coverage
below).
- Coverage: The frame must cover
the entire eye socket, not only the eyeball
itself. Impact to any of the "soft"
parts of the eye can cause serious damage. Look
for a frame that sits closely to the face, as a
finger can easily make its way through any gap.
Shields can easily become dislodged so a finger
can penetrate underneath. Be careful if choosing
this option.
- Padding: The frame should have
padding at the temple points and bridge points to
"cushion the blow". Padding will absorb
some of the shock to lessen the overall impact,
and to assure the frame itself does not cause
damage to the facial structures.
- Helmet Compatible:
Since helmets are required in this sport, the frame should be
designed to fit securely under a helmet. Temple pieces or a
goggle specifically designed for helmet sports should be selected.
- Lens Color:
A clear lens is the best for general purpose use. However, if you
are playing in bright sunlight or have light sensitivity, a gray tinted lens can
be used.
- Prescription Lenses: A goggle
gives the widest field of view for the athlete.
Shield must be fit with a prescription insert
that fits behind the lens, and therefore, limits
the periphery a little. Wrap frames also work for low
prescriptions. In high prescriptions, wrapped styles will
cause some distortion.
Recommended
Styles:
Rec Specs
--meet
all of the above requirements, and can be fit with a
prescription lens. Shields type designs these are not the safest
type of frame as they can be easily dislodged and do not
provide the same protection. Other good shields that don't meet the ASTM
sports standard but do appeal cosmetically are from Bolle, Rudy
Project and Wiley-X. Or, if you want a
prescription lens that is built directly into the frame, the Wiley-X
SG-1, Bugz or PanOptix
frames can be fit with lenses directly in them. The Wiley-X frame
does come with a strap so
that they fit like goggles. Or, you choose a regular
sunglass style and put clear (or tinted) safety lenses in them. Secure the frame with
a strap.
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Look
For
--Polycarbonate
Lenses
-Durable Frame Design
-Coverage
-Padding
-Helmet Compatibility
-Lens Color
-Prescription Capability
Recommended
Styles
Goggles
-Rec-Specs
-Wiley-X
-PanOptix
-Bugz
-Hilco
Shields
-Rudy Project
-Bolle
-Wiley-X
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are available with a
prescription lens. 
