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Tennis Eyewear, Racquet Sports Protective Eyewear
In the US and Europe, the most significant amount of sports eye
injuries come from racquet sports Racquet sports involve balls and racquets
(doubles sports) traveling at high speeds. Injuries can easily be prevented
through the use of sport goggles. These goggles not only provide protection from
injury, but can also be fit with your prescription in them. Even if you need a
slight vision correction, it will help you see the ball one second sooner, or
help your aim by a fraction of an inch. 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 racquet.
Goggles without lenses should never be used since the ball in these
sports are sometimes small enough to fit through the frame and
penetrate the eye.
Durable
Frame Design: The frame must also be able to withstand
the impact of a ball or racquet. Therefore, a frame made out of
polycarbon is the the best choice. Shields should not be used unless
they are attached by a strap.
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.
Shields can easily become dislodged if not strapped on so 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. Shields typically do not have
this feature, so beware if choosing this options.
Sports Band: The frame should be secured by an
elasticized band, not temple pieces. You want something that will be
secured tight to the head so that it won't fall off. A frame with
temples will not hold tight enough, and a quick movement or head
tilt could cause the frame to fall off, allowing objects to
penetrate the eye
Prescription Lenses: A goggle gives the widest field of
view for the athlete. Shields must be fit with a prescription insert
that fits behind the lens, and therefore, limits the periphery.
Recommended Styles:
Rec Specs and
Hilco
meet all of the above requirements, and can be fit with a
prescription lens. Shield type designs are also an option, but
note, these are not the safest type of frame as they can be easily
dislodged and do not provide the same protection. For shields see
Bolle who has made a new shield (worn by Martina Hingis) for
tennis or Wiley-X
Interchangeables. The Competivision lens was specifically designed
for tennis to enhance optic yellow (ball) and mute all other
colors (blue sky, green or clay court, etc.). The
Gargoyles
Classics or 85's are also favorites among tennis players.
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Look
For
-Polycarbonate
Lenses
-Durable Frame Design
-Coverage
-Padding
-Sports Band
-Prescription Capability
Recommended Styles
-Rec
Specs Goggles
-Bolle
Tennis
-Hilco Goggles
-Wiley-X Interchangeables
-Rudy Project Tennis-
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are available with a
prescription lens. 
