GAME
FA C E
PROTECTIVE SPORTS EYEWEAR
By Denis Langlois
Leon Rosenbaum says his specially
designed sports glasses allow him to
stay ahead of the game. The recreational hockey player from Georgian
Bluffs wears a pair of prescription
lenses behind his visor. They allow
him to better see the puck and
fellow players. The lenses are made
from polycarbonate, which resist
damage and take impact well. The
frames are built tough, while fitting
snug to his face.
“I used to play without my glasses
but have reached the age where that
is now impossible,” he said. “At this
advanced stage of life, I need them
to play the game I love.” Eyewear
specially designed to protect the
eyes during sports while maximizing performance is a market that’s
growing significantly.
16 www.spineoptics.com
The eyewear industry has responded
by expanding its offerings and
options for such products.
Optometrist Dr. Michelle Lafleur
said there are two main purposes
for sports-specific eyewear — to
protect the eyes from injury and
enhance performance.
“Protection can be both against
UV damage and against impact
from fast moving objects such as
tennis balls or even badminton
birdies. Racquets and sticks also
pose a threat to eyes as do fingers
and elbows in contact sports.
Blunt force trauma can fracture the
floor of the orbit, called a blowout
fracture and may cause a detached
retina,” she said.
“Wearing prescription lenses will
obviously improve vision in a person
who requires correction, but there
are also certain tints and coatings
that can enhance vision even if no
correction is needed.”
Yellow or amber tints, for example,
improve contrast and filter blue light
for sharper focus and are useful for
hunters and racquet sports.
Polarized lenses reduce glare for
people playing water sports.
Polycarbonate lenses absorb impact.
Other things to consider are padding
to increase comfort, wrap around
designs to improve fit, bands to
keep glasses snug and anti-fog and
anti-scratch coatings for lenses.
Oakley Canada is among the leaders
in developing sports eyewear.
The company’s high-definition optic
lenses allow athletes to see clear,
sharp and accurate images while