Contact Lenses
Contact Lenses and Sport
Contact lenses suit sport far better than glasses: full peripheral vision, nothing to fog, slip or break, and stable correction through movement. Swimming is the exception, where lenses should not be worn at all.
Glasses and sport are a poor match. The frame edge cuts peripheral vision at exactly the moment peripheral awareness matters, lenses fog, sweat smears, and a knock can put both the glasses and the wearer out of the game.
Contact lenses solve all of that. Soft lenses in particular are stable, larger than the cornea and very hard to dislodge, which makes them the default for most sports.
Swimming is the exception and it is absolute. Water and contact lenses should never meet, because of the risk of acanthamoeba infection. For regular swimmers the real answers are prescription goggles or Ortho-K, which leaves nothing in the eye during the day at all.
What to expect
- Team and contact sports
- Soft lenses, ideally daily disposables so a lost lens costs nothing. Protective eyewear over the top where the sport warrants it.
- Swimming and water sport
- No lenses. Prescription goggles or Ortho-K.
- Cycling, running and desert trails
- Daily disposables plus wraparound protective sunglasses, since dust and wind are the main issue here.
- Racket sports
- Soft lenses with impact resistant protective eyewear. Squash in particular causes serious eye injuries every year.
Questions and answers
Which lens is best for sport?
Daily disposables for most sports. They are stable, hygienic, and losing one mid game costs nothing.
Can I swim in contact lenses?
No. Waterborne organisms, acanthamoeba in particular, cause severe corneal infections and lenses trap them against the eye. Use prescription goggles or consider Ortho-K.
Do I still need protective eyewear?
Yes, for any sport with impact risk. Contact lenses correct vision and protect nothing.
Why do athletes choose Ortho-K?
Because there is nothing in the eye during the day at all. No lens to dislodge, no glasses to break, and swimming is not a problem.
Talk to someone about contact lenses and sport
Appointments are scheduled two per hour, so there is time to answer questions properly. Call (480) 706-3937 or request a time online.