The younger generation makes the most active age group in sports. While this tells us how enthusiastic they are about sports and fitness, it has its disadvantages.
According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), a significant number of eye-related injuries in school children are associated with sports.
Furthermore, eye injuries have been identified as a leading cause of blindness in children across the United States. So, how can you avoid this?
If your kid or ward engages in sports activities, it’s only natural for you to worry about safety, especially their eyes. But that’s okay! Because sports eyewear is proven to be the most effective in ensuring eye safety and this article will guide you through its functions and reasons to get one. Let’s check it out!
What Is Sports Eyewear?
Sports eyewear is typically made from polycarbonate materials which are soft and enable them to resist 50 times the amount of impact, compared to regular eyeglasses.
In addition, athletic kids as well as adults, with corrective eye needs are not left out on eye safety, as there are sports prescription glasses, designed to meet their specific visual needs.
However, not many people realize the importance of getting one for their kids. And, youth tend to ignore the impact of quality sports eyewear on not only their eyes but their athletic performance as well.
The Impact Of Sports Eyewear On Kids’ Eyes And Sports
You might be wondering, why should you invest in an extra pair of glasses for your child when they already have one? But if we’re being honest, regular glasses as well as prescription glasses are not designed for sports activities and thus, cannot fill in the gap as would sports eyewear.
Wearing traditional eyeglasses during sports poses so many risks to your kid, some of which include:
- The possibility of shattering during sports results in eye damage.
- Always going out of place when your child is active and if they have specific needs, this can negatively affect their performance in sports.
This is why sports eyeglasses are formulated. They are designed to be lightweight for convenience during outdoor activities. Also, they confer maximum protection from ultraviolet sunlight.
That’s not all, the best part is that these glasses are often coated with special anti-scratch coatings or scratch-resistant coatings which further protect them from damage.
You can now tell that sports eyewear also wants to give you value for your money by providing these features to enable long time use. It doesn’t end there either. The frames of these athletic eyewear are made of durable materials.
You might not be aware of this, but sports eyewear typically has a larger profile compared to regular eyeglasses. This means that if your child gets hit by their glasses during sports, the impact from the glasses is nowhere near the eye or eye socket.
Finally, sports eyeglasses are not excluded from a particular kind of sport as almost every sport can benefit from its features. Also, you can reserve them as an extra pair of glasses for your kid as they are not harmful to wear when not engaging in sports.
But ensure that if your kid wears regular corrective eyewear, their sports eyewear prescription aligns with that of their corrective lenses. This is to ensure enhanced vision and better performance.
4 Benefits Of Sports Eyewear
- Reduce eye Injuries:
If your child takes part in sports such as basketball, baseball, fencing, or any sports that involve the use of tools and possible body contact, it is important that they put on sports eyeglasses
Protective glasses like sports eyewear are particularly helpful in keeping the eyes safe from injuries. By covering the eyes to avoid direct impact.
- Stays in place:
Unlike traditional eyeglasses, most sports glasses such as the wrap-around, come in the form of goggles that fit tenderly on the face and are held in place by a strap.
This strap prevents them from leaving their position while playing and this is helpful for kids with eye needs. If you don’t know where to get one and are apprehensive about how the design actually looks, you can look for prescription sports glasses online.
With this type of sports eyewear, you can be assured that your child will be very comfortable during their sports.
- Lightweight:
Sports eyewear is generally lightweight. It has to be, as a matter of fact. No one wants an extra burden on their face while trying to beat an opposing team in sports. Having sleek and light eyewear is a perfect combination for anyone engaging in sports.
- Better performance:
With sports eyewear, children can perform their best in their favorite sports and it gets better for those with eye needs.
Prescription sports glasses, provide them with a better vision which they require to perform better. This can make a tremendous impact on their performance by enabling them to see clearly, focus better on objects and effectively judge distance.
Listed above are only a few benefits of sports eyewear, and there are lots more. In addition, while most youth leagues these days do not make sports eyewear essential, parents, guardians, and teachers should teach young athletes about its necessity.
What Kind Of Sports Eyewear Do Kids Need?
Generally, sports eyewear is essential in sports. However, different sports require different eyewear for improved performance.
- Safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses are essential for kids who engage in basketball, baseball, mountain biking, racquetball, and squash.
- Helmets connected to polycarbonate face masks should be provided for kids who play tackle football, hockey, baseball, and softball.
- Swim safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses are crucial for youngsters participating in water-based activities like surfing, tubing, and water polo.
Sports Eyewear For Youths
Over time, the necessity for protective items such as sports eyewear, for the young generation, is overlooked.
In most cases, this is a result of the cost, especially prescriptions. However, these sports eyewear give you value for your money as many of them come with quality features to enable them to last long while protecting the eyes.
Finally, sports eyeglasses serve a lot of purposes. But when getting one for a kid with corrective eye needs, ensure to speak with a specialist. Only they can give you the best prescription sports glasses.