Whether you’re a casual tennis player or an elite marathon runner, clear vision and eye protection are essential for all physical activities. If you have a vision impairment, you may find that your regular glasses are more of a hindrance than a help while playing sports. 

There are two main options for vision aids that are suitable for physical activity: specialized sports glasses and contact lenses. Both options have benefits and drawbacks, making the decision between them tricky. 

At Wolcott Optical, we want you to have all the information you need to make smart decisions about your eye health. That’s why we’re presenting this blog post weighing the pros and cons of sports glasses and contacts and giving tips for how to choose the right vision solution for your needs.

The Importance of Vision and Eye Protection in Sports

Vision clarity — including hand-eye coordination and depth perception — is an essential aspect of any sport, from basketball to gymnastics to badminton. Improper eyewear, such as regular eyeglasses, doesn’t just get in your way while you play sports; it can also create safety concerns. 

As you sweat, your glasses slide down your face, which means you’ll be paying more attention to adjusting them than the fast-paced game. This means you may miss a pass or collide with another player while you’re distracted. Sweat can also cause the lenses to fog up, requiring frequent wipe-downs. 

Additionally, when you wear regular glasses, you risk shattering a lens if something comes flying at your face. Not only are broken glasses inconvenient and sometimes costly to fix, but they’re also a safety hazard — nobody wants broken glass in their eye. 

It’s much safer and more convenient to wear an alternative vision aid — but which one is best for you?

Wearing Contacts for Sports

Many athletes choose to wear contacts while playing sports because they’re the closest to wearing nothing at all, making them compatible with helmets and other protective gear. They provide a wider field of vision without obstructions, which is great for sports like soccer and basketball that require peripheral vision. Plus, unlike glasses, they don’t fog up or slip down your nose. 

When you wear contacts, you can also wear protective goggles for a hybrid approach. This makes them a good choice for skiers, snowboarders, and swimmers. 

However, when you wear contact lenses during intense physical activity, you risk losing a lens, taking you out of the game. There’s also the potential for discomfort or dryness, especially in outdoor sports. Furthermore, contacts require proper hygiene and maintenance to avoid infection.

Contact lenses may be the best choice for you if you play a sport that involves a helmet (such as football or cycling), you rely heavily on your peripheral vision, or you already wear contacts in your day-to-day life. 

Specialized Sports Glasses

Specialized sports glasses are another popular choice for athletes. They resemble regular eyeglasses, but with several enhancements that make them more suitable for physical activity. Sports glasses are best for high-impact sports, children, and those who can’t wear contacts. 

The features of sports glasses typically include:

• An adjustable strap to keep them in place
• Additional protection against impact, debris, and UV rays
• Shatterproof lenses
• Ventilation channels to prevent fogging
• Extra cushioning around the nose and rim for enhanced comfort
• No need for direct contact with the eyes, reducing infection risks

Sports glasses aren’t a perfect solution, though. The thicker frames can limit peripheral vision, and they may feel bulky or uncomfortable with some types of helmets. Plus, despite the strap and ventilation, they can still fog up or slip, especially during high-intensity activities. 

How to Decide Which Option Is Right for You

The choice between contacts and sports glasses is an important one, and it should not be taken lightly. As you consider your options, keep these factors in mind:

• Your chosen sport: Do you play a contact sport or an individual sport? Does it take place indoors or outdoors? Are you required to wear a helmet?
• Personal preferences: Are you comfortable with inserting and maintaining contacts? 
• Budget: Contacts come with long-term costs, while sports glasses are a one-time investment. 
• Eye health: If you have allergies, dry eyes, or sensitivity, contact lenses may not be ideal for you. 

Comprehensive Vision Solutions at Wolcott Optical

At Wolcott Optical, we’re dedicated to providing quality vision solutions that meet your unique needs. Visit our store in Millcreek, Utah, to explore a wide range of contacts and eyeglasses and find the perfect solution for you. 

If you have a vision impairment — whether it’s astigmatism, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, or something else — you rely on your prescription eyeglasses to see. However, if you have the wrong prescription or your glasses are not properly tailored to your needs, your eyeglasses can become more of a hindrance than a help. 

Beyond the temporary annoyance of not being able to see clearly, there can be more significant consequences when you wear glasses with the wrong prescription, whether the lenses are outdated or simply incorrect. 

At Wolcott Optical, we understand how important it is to empower our customers to make the right decisions about their vision health. That’s why we wrote this blog post explaining the risks of wearing the wrong prescription, signs your glasses aren’t right for you, and how the right prescription can enhance your life.

What Does ‘Wrong Prescription’ Mean?

Everyone’s vision is different, which means their eyeglasses are different. From the distance between the pupils to additional magnification to the shape of lenses, there are several important measurements that go into an eyeglasses prescription. 

There are a few ways you can wind up with the wrong prescription. One of the most common reasons is vision changes over time. That’s why it’s important to visit your eye doctor regularly and track these changes. 

Another way you can get the wrong prescription is if the measurements are incorrect. No matter how carefully each measurement is taken, mistakes can sometimes happen, whether due to faulty equipment or incorrect documentation. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to stay away from purchasing cheap glasses online and skipping a proper fitting.

Risks of Wearing the Wrong Prescription

Wearing the wrong prescription may seem harmless, especially if it’s only in the short term, but there can be serious consequences. 

The immediate effects of wearing glasses with the wrong prescription can include:

• Eye strain due to overworking the eye muscles
• Tension headaches from struggling to focus
• Blurred or distorted vision and difficulty focusing at different distances
• Nausea or dizziness, which are especially common with significant prescription mismatches

If you continue wearing glasses with the wrong prescription for your needs, you may experience more significant effects, including an increased risk of eye fatigue and chronic discomfort. Your overall eye health may worsen, and issues such as myopia or astigmatism may progress. 

Additionally, your safety will be compromised as you perform daily activities like driving — if you can’t clearly see obstacles in your way, how can you avoid them? Not only does this put yourself at risk, but it’s dangerous for others on the road, as well.

How to Identify If Your Prescription Is Wrong

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s time for a visit to the eye doctor to make sure your prescription is correct:

• Persistent headaches or migraines
• Double vision or difficulty focusing
• Feeling off-balance or disoriented
• Eyes feeling tired or dry more often than usual

Preventing the Risks

Regular eye exams are crucial for ensuring your prescription is always up to date. It’s best to have checkups with your optometrist every 1–2 years, or more often if you notice changes. 

Precise measurements, from lens strength to pupillary distance, are the key to glasses that fit properly and are tailored to your unique needs. Only an optical professional can take these measurements accurately, so avoid buying cheap glasses online without professional input. 

Investing in quality lenses and frames may come with a higher upfront cost, but it’s the best way to ensure your long-term comfort and eye health. Low-quality glasses may be more susceptible to damage, affecting their ability to properly meet your vision needs. Plus, when you factor in frequent repairs and replacements, cheap glasses aren’t so inexpensive in the long run.

How the Right Prescription Improves Quality of Life

The right eyeglasses prescription can change your life, especially if you have more severe vision problems. Glasses made especially for you can reduce eye strain and fatigue, enhance vision clarity and focus for better productivity, improve your safety as you perform daily activities, and provide comfort and confidence. 

Quality Prescription Eyeglasses from Wolcott Optical

If you’ve been suffering with the wrong prescription, it’s time to take charge. Once you’ve visited your eye doctor, come to Wolcott Optical to explore our comprehensive selection of stylish frames and lenses. We can provide you with the quality solutions you need to enjoy clear vision. 

The holiday season brings lots of light — both figuratively and literally. From festive outdoor displays to flickering candles to gleaming trees, there’s twinkling lights everywhere you turn.

If you’ve noticed that lights appear blurry or streaky, especially at night, you may wonder if you have a vision problem like astigmatism. While this may be the case, it’s not the only thing that can cause lights to appear hazy. 

At Wolcott Optical, we understand the importance of educating our customers about common vision problems like astigmatism. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about which vision solutions would best suit your needs.

If you’re concerned about your eye health this holiday season, keep reading to learn more about the possible causes of blurry lights and what you can do to improve your vision.

What Is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a common refractive error caused by irregular curvature of the eye’s cornea or lens. In addition to blurred or distorted vision, it can lead to eye strain, headaches, and difficulty seeing at night.

This common condition can affect people of all ages and often occurs in combination with farsightedness or nearsightedness. It can be present from birth or develop later in life.

Why Lights Appear Blurry or Distorted with Astigmatism

When the cornea or lens is irregularly shaped, it prevents light from focusing properly on the retina. This leads to visual distortions, including halos, glare, or streaks around lights. 

People with astigmatism often have difficulty driving at night, as the streetlights and headlights can turn their vision into a bleary mess. They may also experience discomfort in brightly lit environments, including holiday light displays. 

Other Possible Causes of Blurry Lights

While astigmatism is often responsible for blurry lights, it’s not the only possible cause. Other potential causes include:

• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Dry eyes or cataracts
• Glare sensitivity unrelated to refractive errors

If you’re struggling with blurry lights, it’s important to visit your eye doctor for an accurate diagnosis. They can assess the curvature of your eyes and determine whether astigmatism or another condition is the cause of your symptoms.

Solutions for Astigmatism

Fortunately, there is hope for individuals with astigmatism. Corrective solutions include:

Eyeglasses

Prescription eyeglasses can help correct light refraction onto the retina, counteracting the irregular cornea or lens and alleviating blurriness. They are relatively affordable and easy to adapt to, making them a popular choice.

Over-the-counter reading glasses are not effective for correcting astigmatism. Eyeglasses for astigmatism require special cylindrical lenses rather than spherical ones. Because of this, you’ll see CYL and Axis numbers on your prescription in addition to the standard information. 

Contact Lenses

Toric contact lenses work similarly to cylindrical eyeglass lenses. While standard contact lenses are spherical, toric contact lenses are shaped like a thin slice from the side of a donut. Their unique shape compensates for the eye’s irregular cornea or lens. 

These contacts have a particular orientation, which means they need to stay in place. They may have zones that are thicker or thinner than others, be truncated at the bottom, or ballasted to prevent slipping and maintain visual clarity.

Other Solutions

In severe cases, LASIK or other refractive surgeries may be necessary. Your eye doctor can assess whether surgical intervention is necessary.

Lifestyle adjustments to reduce eye strain can also help. Being mindful about your screen time, avoiding reading in low light, and taking frequent breaks are effective strategies for avoiding eye strain. 

For more information about eye strain, check out these previous blog posts:

• Do Glasses Help Prevent Eye Strain?
• Tired Eyes? 6 Useful Things You Can Do To Help Eye Fatigue
• Are E-Readers Bad for Your Eyesight?
• Computer Vision Syndrome: How Much Screen Time Is Okay For Your Eyes?
• Does Reading in the Dark Harm Your Eyes?
• 5 Eye Problems Linked To Stress
• Blue Light: The Impact Of Digital Eye Strain

Quality Vision Solutions at Wolcott Optical

At Wolcott Optical, we’re dedicated to helping you find the right vision solutions for astigmatism. With a combination of advanced lens technology and stylish frames, blurry lights and eye strain will be a thing of the past. Imagine how wonderful it will be when you can finally enjoy a dazzling holiday light display as it’s meant to be seen!

Visit our store in Millcreek, Utah, to explore cutting-edge solutions tailored to your unique vision needs.