Are Your Sports Glasses Putting You At Risk

 

So, you’ve finally decided to splurge on those top-of-the-line, custom sports glasses. Now that you’ve got them—what could go wrong, right? Think again.

Let’s flip the script: Many people settle for budget sunglasses, assuming they’ll just break in no time. One fall, one rough and tough game, and the glasses will snap, smash or crack anyway. Ouch, that’s got to be a rookie mistake.

Can cheap sunglasses damage your eyes? You’d say, yes, of course. Now, what if I told you that even the fanciest sunglasses could be damaging your eyes just the same?

With so many choices and such a wide price range, it’s no wonder you might feel a bit lost. Cheaper options can be tempting, especially since most sports can be pretty rough on your gear. Keep in mind, your safety is worth every penny.

In this blog, we’re going to break down some common mistakes people make when picking sports sunglasses. Let’s help you dodge these errors and find the perfect pair.

Fault 1: Choosing Regular Eyewear over Sports Eyewear

Guess what? Regular sunglasses are not the same as glasses made for sports. There are safety ratings for ball sports and eyewear. Unless the sunglasses have a safety rating, they will not be structurally designed with the same functions in mind. So, they can’t be the right choice for your competitive sports. Now, if you wear your regular glasses to a game and find them getting foggy, knocked off, or broken easily, are the glasses to blame?

There’s no point in choosing regular sunglasses when you have specially designed sports eyewear that is tailored to your athletic needs. Still skeptical about how sports eyewear has the upper hand? Here is a list of features that put them a level beyond your regular sunglasses:

So, the number that you see in the description of any glasses is the percentage of light that the lens allows to pass through. By that logic, the higher the VLT, the more the light that enters your eyes while the lower the VLT, the less the total light that will go into your eyes.

• Better grip: Sports glasses generally feature adjustable nose pads and/or temple tips that can provide a superior grip compared to regular sunglasses. No more pushing your glasses up on your nose. 
• Eye-cups: As an extra safety measure, specialized padding can act as a shield against debris, high wind, and dust.
• Glare-free protection: The glare from direct sunlight is directly addressed by lens options like polarized, tinted, and mirrored lenses.
• UV protection: Prolonged exposure to UV light has much more grave repercussions than most minor bumps and scrapes. The UV coating on almost all sports eyewear provides 100% protection against UV light.
• Anti-fog coatings and design: As you breathe harder and the game gets more intense, your breath can fog up your glasses. Sports eyewear can offer anti-fog coatings to maintain unobstructed vision throughout.
• Differently designed for every sport: Each sport demands specific features from your eyewear to ensure optimal performance. Therefore, most sports eyewear are designed according to their respective game’s requirements. 
• ASTM F803 safety ratings:  Independent certification institutes test glasses rated with this ASTM standard for high impact for ball and stick sports.  This ensures that the soft tissue of the eyes (that can sustain permanent damage) are properly protected.

 

Fault 2: Choosing Cheaper Alternatives

There is no shame in accepting that we lean towards cheaper alternatives while shopping for sports sunglasses, with the most logical thought: wouldn’t they break sooner or later anyway?

Well, that logic is not too far off, but you are missing a vital piece of information. Aren’t the two connected? Cheap sports glasses are often made from flimsy plastic that doesn’t hold up too well. So, while you may be grabbing them to save a few bucks, they break so quickly that you end up spending more in the long run. It’s a vicious cycle.

And they aren’t just hurting your pockets. Cheap sunglasses cannot offer high-performance lenses. As a result, they may not only be messing with your visual clarity but also failing to protect your eyes from UV rays. A simple, frugal, and rather innocent choice might be doing you more harm than good.

But what if I told you that Sporteyes offers sports sunglasses starting as low as $16 with high-quality materials and fundamental performance features? You can get more features with more expensive pairs, but even our basic picks are far better than those from pharmacies and dollar stores.

Break free of the cheap sunglasses eye damage cycle, it’s a smart move for both your budget and your eyesight.

 

Fault 3: Wearing the Wrong Prescription Sports Glasses

People with corrective vision need to be a little more careful with their eyewear. For a huge fraction of the general public, prescription power is rarely consistent. But you don’t feel the difference as much, even with your old prescription. But can wearing the wrong prescription glasses damage your eyes?

You may not feel it directly, but you best believe that you are enduring the change. When your prescription is off, your eyes have to work harder to focus, which leads to discomfort, tiredness, and dryness.

Blurry vision makes even daily activities a pain. Plus, the constant strain from trying to see worsens with migraines and headaches.

Instead of shelling out for new glasses every time your prescription changes, why not try replaceable lenses or prescription lens adapters? They let you update just the lenses in your favorite frames, saving you both money and the hassle of buying a whole new pair.

 

Some Tips From The Pros

Now that you’ve learned from your mistakes, you are already two steps ahead of that terrible eye damage. But, is that enough to give you all the protection and comfort your eyes need out on the field? Apart from all the factors we’ve talked about, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. So, we put together all of the tips and tricks our pro athletes use while choosing a pair of sports eyewear.

• Durable Frames: Although sports glasses are pretty well known for their impact resistance, you must opt for durable materials like polycarbonate or Trivex when it comes to the frames as well. If you find frames that are ASTM safety-rated, then you can rest assured the frames will be durable. 
• Sport-Specific Lenses: Certain sports require specific lens types. For instance, polarized lenses help reduce glare for water sports, while photochromic lenses can enhance clarity in variable lighting conditions.

• Maintenance: Keeping your sports eyewear in top shape also involves regular cleaning and proper storage. So, make sure you clean and store your eyewear properly.
• Keep the Fog at Bay: Temperature and humidity can affect your glasses. So anti-fog coatings are a must for winter sports or early morning practices.

 

Get the Right Eyewear & See the Difference

In conclusion, choosing the right sports sunglasses can be a game-changer for all sports alike. From budget-friendly picks to custom prescriptions for every sports eyewear, Sporteyes has got you covered.

Avoid these common oversights and settle for nothing short of the best. Upgrade to a new level of clarity and comfort with SportEyes and stay on top of your game. Shop now!