Photo © iStock.com/JobsonHealthcare

By Sara Bonizio

In early summer 2015, CNN reported that a Texas woman lost sight in her left eye after contracting a flesh-eating bacterial infection during a Tough Mudder “mud run.” The otherwise healthy, active mother complained of feeling debris in her eye a few hours before losing vision. When her unshielded eye was besieged by mud, her contact lens scratched the cornea, which paved the way for invasion by an aggressive virulent bacteria—a sad situation that might have been prevented had she been wearing protective goggles during the event.

Professional athletes and “weekend warriors” require specialized eyewear, both for vision correction and eye protection; those with no refractive error will still benefit from glare prevention, color contrast and a physical barrier to shield the eyes from impact that may occur from sports equipment, other athletes’ elbows or infectious agents. Many athletes eventually experience injury to the eye; not as serious as blinding bacteria, certainly, but nonetheless avoidable if the proper protective eyewear is in place.

Sports spectators and enthusiasts often anticipate competitive events with gusto, cheering for their favorite athletes and teams, following their training schedules and hoping they don’t suffer from impediments like broken limbs; but how often do we think about the role vision and eyewear can play in aiding (or derailing) athletic performance? As it happens, the impact can be significant, and eyecare practices are urged to survey their patients’ lifestyles to determine how specialized eyewear and vision aids can enhance their showing on the field (and on the slopes, trails, etc.).

THE STARTING LINE
Optometric practices marketing a specialization in sports vision should begin by offering their patients additional analysis and testing at intake, in order to identify their visual strengths and weaknesses and determine whether they would benefit from sports vision training, contact lenses and/or protective eyewear.

In addition to the traditional elements of the comprehensive annual eye exam, practices may perform and promote the following tests, depending on their sport of choice:
• Eye dominance
• Depth perception
• Assessments of visual processing speed and hand-eye coordination
• Eye teaming tests
• Ocular alignment tests
• Eye tracking devices
• Contrast sensitivity

THE 4 CS: COVERAGE, CORRECTION, CLARITY, CONTRAST
Sport eyewear can be worn alone, over contact lenses, and some models are designed to fit over eyeglasses. Whether goggles, a shield or a wrap, active patients must be strongly encouraged to supplement their everyday eyewear—which does not meet the same protective standards as safety eyewear and will probably not hold up under impact—whenever engaging in their sport of choice.

Once the patient’s prescription, if any, is determined, dispensers must tailor optical product recommendations to the sport/activity of choice, taking into consideration field of vision requirements and environment to yield optimal vision for the activity at hand. Durable, shatterproof lens materials in polycarbonate or Trivex should be the foundation of any performance eyewear. Trivex, which meets all of the FDA standards for safety glasses and was the only lens material other than polycarbonate to pass FDA Impact Resistance Tests, has a higher Abbe value, yielding greater optical clarity.

In addition, lenses that selectively filter glare and certain colors can cause objects of a particular color on a specific background color to appear with greater clarity and contrast—for example, a ball against the sky. This type of visual enhancement will benefit athletes with less contrast sensitivity and possibly give an extra edge to those who discern contrast normally.

‘FORE’ AVID GOLFERS
For golfers seeking single vision or plano performance sunglasses, gray—the most common sunglass lens color—is not ideal for golf because it is a neutral filter. With the goal to reduce glare and eye fatigue on the course, some golf sunglass lenses on the market suppress yellow light, while others block blue. Also, since golfers use grass blade reflection and deflection to assess ground contour and wind direction, most performance golf sunglasses do not use polarization.

Presbyopic golfers frequently complain that the near portion of general-purpose multifocal lenses gets in the way when they look at their golf ball or line up a shot. Such a patient would be an ideal candidate for a “golf lens,” in which a small near segment is placed in the lower outside corner of just the dominant-eye lens where it is completely out of the way during play, but provides enough near vision to read.

ON AND IN THE WATER
Nautical activities, enjoyed by “weekenders” as well as more dedicated seamen, calls for premium sunwear offerings: Polarized lenses with anti-reflective coating will eliminate glare. These benefits enhance popular recreational activities such as fishing, where the catch of the day can be spotted much more easily, as well as sailing, canoeing and kayaking. As an added bonus, polarized lenses also make driving to and from the docks more comfortable, as well as general time spent outdoors.

Uncomfortable news for regular lap swimmers and summer dippers alike: In 2015, the CDC again reported that unprotected eyes become red and irritated as the result of chlorine binding with sweat, urine and other waste in pools. Thus, snug Rxable swim goggles are a must. To prevent the condensation that hinders vision, dispensers should recommend an anti-fog spray with purchase.

TRACK, FIELD AND COURT
Whether long distance, sprinting or occasional jogging around the neighborhood, runners will benefit from sunglasses that provide UV protection and glare reduction, which will also shield eyes from wind, bugs, raindrops and sweat, with a snug and lightweight fit. Some professional baseball players find amber-tinted performance glasses or sports contact lenses helpful in filtering out outdoor blue light, increasing the ability to see the ball more clearly against the sky. Tennis players also find contrast enhancement useful when honing in on their shots, on both indoor and outdoor courts.

COMMUNICATING THE ATHLETE’S SPECIALIZED VISION NEEDS
Practices are encouraged to take advantage of date-specific opportunities to promote sports-focused vision testing, as well as specialized eyewear; for example, August is Kids’ Eye Health and Safety Month, and September is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month (some sources also identify April as a Sports Eye Safety Month). Additionally, more general seasonal messaging showcasing prescription ski goggles in winter, different styles of performance sunglasses for outdoor sports in warmer months, etc., is another good way to encourage athletic patients to think about their specialized visual needs. Practices should leverage these time frames in targeted social media and e-mail messaging, as well as via point-of-sale materials in the waiting room and when conversing with patients at intake.

Eyecare facilities would do well to enlarge an easy-to-follow chart (allaboutvision.com has a comprehensive A to Z list of sports and corresponding eyewear recommendations at allaboutvision.com/sportsvision/eyewear.htm) and keep it near the performance eyewear section of the office/retail display; this also makes a handy infographic for digital distribution.

THE FINISH LINE
The decision to establish a sports vision specialization within a vision care practice, if done properly, can be an excellent source of referrals. If athletes can see more comfortably and clearly, and their performance improves, their friends, teammates and coaches will follow suit, right into your waiting room. ■