Do you wear sunglasses when playing outdoors in the sun? You may have noticed that many touring tennis pros do not.
This could be a mistake long-term.
Skiers and sailors know the importance of protecting their eyes from the sun’s rays in the face of glare from the snow and water. What about a tennis court mid-day under a cloudless sky?
Long term exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight has been associated with the development of macular degeneration and cataracts. Wearing appropriately protective sunglasses is considered an important preventative measure.
Leading studies suggest that polarized lenses in particular not only help slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration, but also protect eyes from glare that can contribute to eyestrain and headaches. Polarized lenses also work to reduce light transmission and reflection from horizontal surfaces (glare) and may actually improve vision during play.
Most tennis players who don’t wear sunglasses to play say they don’t because they feel their vision is somehow impeded, frames are heavy and slip or very commonly fog up.
Technology has changed.
The only sun protection brand that has a noticeable presence among on-tour tennis professionals is Oakley.
This editor and team have tested them and found them to be superior in competition and not a problem in any of the above categories. Olympic beach volley ball players are wearers, good examples of how well these lenses function in a high movement sport.
Oakley polarized lenses, ($200-300 USD) and High Definition Optics (HDO) technology not only protect from the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and UVC rays but also allows users to see clearer without strain. In addition, the lenses offer high velocity impact protection should you happen to face a particularly aggressive volleyer.
Samantha Stosur, Sony Ericsson WTA tour professional, wears the company’s new Enduring style (men’s equivalent is the Radar). “I started wearing Oakley when I was 14,” she says.
“I struggled with the glare you get on a hard court and wearing the sunglasses made it a lot easier for me to see. Not only do they take away the glare and obviously the sunlight that your eyes have to deal with while playing in the sun but I also notice after matches and in general my eyes aren’t tired at the end of the day like I hear a lot of people who don’t wear them experience.”
If you play a lot outdoors, what could take just a few hours to familiarize with could save your sight long-term.
There are other brands to consider as well. Performance, Bolle, Julbo and Smith also make lenses that many athletes enjoy – the key word to look for is performance. Find something you like and wear them.
Your eyes will thank you.
Karin Burgess is editor of Tennisidentity.com a site devoted to what’s new in tennis, tennis fashion, gear, essentials and more.
