The Truth About Wearing Contacts While Playing Sports

Contact lenses are a great choice for sports. Of course, you'll see clearly without the hassles that come with wearing glasses. Your glasses won't fog up when you sweat or slide down during intense workouts. Contact lenses also give you more freedom if you need vision correction while playing sports.

The CDC reports that one in five people who wear contacts face at least one eye problem. Sweat can carry bacteria into your eyes during workouts. Debris might get stuck under your lens and irritate your cornea. You need to know how to take care of your lenses properly to keep your eyes healthy while enjoying the benefits of contacts.

This piece covers everything you need to know about playing sports with contact lenses. You'll learn why they work better than glasses and what steps will keep your eyes safe during activities of all types.

Can You Play Sports with Contact Lenses?

Sports and physical activities create unique challenges if you need vision correction. You can definitely play sports with contact lenses—many athletes find them a better choice than glasses.

Why contacts are preferred over glasses

Research shows athletes needing vision correction pick contact lenses over glasses by a wide margin. This choice makes sense for several reasons:

Contact lenses give you about 15% more peripheral vision than glasses. This wider field of view helps you track teammates, opponents, and balls at the edge of your sight.

Your contacts move right along with your eyes, so you won't get blind spots or distortions like you might with glasses. They stay put during quick moves—no more pushing up frames that slide down your sweaty nose.

Safety is a big deal during physical activity. Here's what makes contacts safer:

• No broken glasses that could hurt your eyes
• Nothing blocking your view
• They work great with helmets and face masks
• No fog problems in changing weather
• Better depth perception to help you perform

Studies show seven out of ten kids say they play sports better with contacts than glasses. You also don't need to worry about breaking or losing expensive glasses during intense games.

Types of sports where contacts work best

Contacts work great in most sports, especially ones that need quick moves and wide vision. They shine in:

Team sports like soccer, basketball, and baseball benefit from the clear vision contacts provide. Rugby players must wear contacts since the rules don't allow glasses at all.

Racket sports players need quick reactions and precise depth perception—contacts help with both. All the same, some of these activities might need extra eye protection over your contacts.

Cyclists, runners, and hikers enjoy their activities more without glasses that slip, fog up, or get wet. Contacts let you wear regular sunglasses for UV protection too.

People who love high-speed and extreme sports appreciate how their contacts stay in place at high speeds. This gives them better awareness without fiddling with glasses.

Winter sports fans find contacts really helpful since they don't have the fogging issues that glasses do in cold weather.

When to avoid using contacts

Even with all these benefits, some situations call for extra care or avoiding contacts:

Water sports top the list of activities where contacts need special attention. Swimming, diving, or any water activity puts your lenses at risk from bacteria, viruses, and microbes that could cause serious eye infections, corneal ulcers, and vision problems. If you must wear contacts while swimming, use waterproof goggles and throw away the lenses right after.

Very dusty places pose another problem since debris can get stuck under your lenses and irritate your eyes or damage your corneas. Special sports goggles with your prescription might work better here.

Contact sports with lots of face hits might knock your lenses loose. Soft lenses usually stay put, but keep spare pairs handy just in case.

Some competitive sports have rules about contact lenses. Professional boxing doesn't allow glasses or contacts. Check what your sport's rules say about vision correction before competing.

Good hygiene matters no matter what activity you choose. Clean your hands really well before touching your lenses, and never reuse daily disposables, even after a quick workout.

What Makes Contacts Safer Than Glasses During Exercise

Athletes need the right eyewear to perform their best. Contact lenses prove safer than regular glasses if you're active in sports. Let me explain why contacts give you an edge during physical activity.

Reduced injury risk from impact

Athletes who choose contacts over glasses face lower risks of eye injuries. Regular eyeglasses can break on impact and cause serious eye damage - a real worry in contact sports like rugby, boxing, or basketball. Many sports leagues and schools recommend contacts as a safer choice, and some even make them mandatory.

Contacts eliminate frame-related injuries completely. You won't have protruding frames or lenses that could break and hurt your eyes during collisions or falls. This protection becomes invaluable, especially when you have physical contact or fast-moving objects in your sport.

Modern soft contact lenses fit your eye's shape perfectly. They stay put during intense movement and rarely move out of place. The lightweight, soft materials used in today's contacts won't damage your eyes even from a direct hit to the face. This gives contacts a huge safety advantage over rigid frames.

No fogging or slipping

Contacts stay in place whatever your activity level. You won't need to fix them mid-game like glasses that keep moving around. This stability helps you focus better on your game.

Your vision stays clear in all weather conditions with contacts. They won't:

• Fog up in cold weather or from your body heat
• Get covered in rain drops that block your vision outdoors
• Show smudges from sweat or fingerprints
• Move down your nose while jumping or running

Clear vision in any condition lets you focus on performing well instead of dealing with visibility issues. Getting rid of these common glasses problems can speed up your reactions and improve your spatial awareness, giving you an edge in competition.

Better compatibility with sports gear

Contacts work perfectly with protective equipment, which might be their biggest practical advantage for athletes. They fit well with:

Football, hockey, or baseball players' helmets and face masks that would normally clash with glasses underneath. No frames means your safety gear fits properly.

Goggles and protective eyewear sit comfortably over contacts. This combination gives you both clear vision and physical protection.

Outdoor athletes can use non-prescription sunglasses with their contacts. This opens up more affordable options and lets you choose specialized sports sunglasses with features like polarization or specific tints.

Runners and gym-goers can wear headphones comfortably without glasses arms creating pressure points or fit problems.

This compatibility improves both safety and comfort during long training sessions or competitions. Your protective gear stays in place, and you keep full vision throughout your workout.

Potential Risks of Exercising with Contacts

Contact lenses give athletes many advantages, but they come with risks too. You need to understand possible complications before deciding to wear contacts during sports.

Eye infections from poor hygiene

Athletes who wear contact lenses face a high risk of eye infections because they don't take proper care of their lenses during and after exercise. Your lenses can collect sweat, dirt, and debris while you work out. This creates perfect conditions for bacteria to grow. Bacteria buildup raises your chances of getting infections like keratitis - an inflammation that can scar your cornea and harm your vision.

You're more likely to get an infection if you:

• Touch your lenses without washing hands after using equipment
• Let sweat carry bacteria into your eyes
• Allow dirt and dust to get stuck under your lens
• Use old solution or mix new solution with used one

Some serious infections can make you lose vision or go blind if you don't treat them quickly. You should see a doctor right away if you notice blurry vision, unusual redness, pain, tears, sensitivity to light, or feel like something's in your eye.

Dryness and discomfort in windy or dry environments

Contact lens discomfort gets worse in certain conditions. Dry weather can make your eyes dehydrate faster and tears evaporate more quickly. This irritation becomes a real problem when you wear contacts.

Physical activity itself can make your lenses dry because:

• Your eyes produce fewer tears during exercise
• Wind, dust, and pollen make symptoms worse
• Gym air conditioning removes moisture from your eyes
• You blink less when focusing hard on your workout

These problems lead to itching, burning, redness, and a sandy feeling in your eyes. Outdoor athletes like cyclists and runners struggle more with these issues. Wind makes tears evaporate faster and can temporarily blur their vision.

Lens displacement during intense movement

Modern contact lenses don't move around as much as older ones did, but displacement can still happen during high-impact activities. Your lenses might slip out of place during intense movements, which makes you uncomfortable and affects your vision.

Your lenses are more likely to move if you:

• Rub your eyes while working out (never do this)
• Wear lenses that don't fit your eyes properly
• Practice martial arts or wrestling where faces touch
• Exercise in very dusty places that irritate your eyes

Even well-fitted lenses sometimes shift when you change direction quickly or make jarring movements. This explains why contacts work so well for sports that need good side vision - they usually stay centered on your eye as you move.

It makes sense to have a backup plan, like sports goggles, for activities where your lenses might suddenly move. Martial artists face unique challenges because they deal with both face contact and eye irritation, so they might need special eye protection.

How to Prevent Problems While Playing Sports with Contacts

Athletes need specific contact lens practices to protect their eyes during sports. Many people ask "can you play sports with contacts" or keep taking them during exercise. These safety measures will help prevent common issues.

Switch to daily disposables

Daily disposable lenses offer the safest option if you play sports or lead an active life. These single-use lenses substantially lower your infection risk with a fresh, sterile pair each day. You won't need cleaning solutions and cases that might harbor bacteria. Daily disposables work best if you:

• Play sports that make you sweat heavily
• Work out outdoors with dust and debris around
• Move around for athletic competitions
• Had lens-related eye problems before

Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes

Your eyes might feel irritated while working out, but don't touch them. Germs enter when you rub your eyes, and the lens can press against your cornea or get scratched. Use a clean towel to dab sweat from your face instead of wiping across your eyes.

Use artificial tears to prevent dryness

Pack sterile artificial tears in your gym bag. They help clean micro-debris and soothe dry eyes during exercise. Preservative-free eye drops work better with regular use. Your eyes stay moist when you drink enough water during workouts.

Remove lenses after intense workouts

Take out your lenses, clean your eyes, and put in a fresh pair after sweaty exercise sessions. This reduces bacteria exposure and helps prevent dry, irritated eyes afterward. Non-daily wearers should disinfect their lenses properly after removal based on their doctor's guidance.

Never swim or shower with lenses in

Contact lenses and water don't mix. The FDA warns against exposing contacts to any water - pools, oceans, lakes, hot tubs, or showers. Microorganisms in water stick to contact lenses and might cause bad infections. Acanthamoeba lives in tap water and swimming pools. This organism can lead to painful infections and blindness. Water exposure means you should remove your lenses right away. Throw them out if possible, or clean and disinfect them for 24 hours before wearing them again.

Tips for Choosing the Right Contacts for Sports

Choosing the perfect contact lenses for your athletic lifestyle starts with knowing the key differences between lens types. The right choice will improve your performance and comfort during physical activities.

Soft vs. hard lenses

Athletes benefit more from soft contact lenses compared to rigid gas permeable (RGP) or hard lenses. Soft lenses work better in sports because they:

• Stay firmly in place during intense movements
• Give better comfort right away with shorter adjustment times
• Almost never fall out, making them great for contact sports
• Come in more disposable options

Hard lenses give excellent vision quality and oxygen flow but they pop out more easily during physical activity. This makes them a poor choice for sports with lots of movement or possible impacts.

Why daily disposables are ideal

Daily disposable lenses represent the gold standard for athletes. These single-use lenses don't need cleaning solutions or storage cases, which cuts down infection risks. Daily disposables are especially helpful because they:

Give you a fresh, sterile pair for each workout and the best hygiene when you deal with sweat and debris. Many daily options include UV protection to shield your eyes during outdoor activities. Busy athletes love them because there's no time wasted on lens maintenance.

Consulting an eye doctor for proper fit

Your contact lens performance in sports depends on professional fitting. Your eye doctor takes exact measurements and runs tests to find the best lens type for your eye's shape and athletic needs. This tailored approach gives you maximum comfort and stability during physical activities.

Carrying backups and eye drops

Keep spare lenses and lubricating drops in your sports bag. Contact lenses can get damaged or move out of place during intense activities, so having backups helps you keep working out without interruption. Artificial tears help fight dryness, especially when you exercise in windy or dry conditions.

Note that you can definitely play sports with contacts, and picking the right lens type for your activities will give you both safety and better performance.

Conclusion

Contact lenses give athletes clear vision without the limits that glasses impose. All the same, proper lens care plays a vital role in keeping your eyes healthy during sports.

Contact lenses stand out by giving you wider side vision, removing blind spots, and staying in place during quick movements. They lower the risk of injuries from broken glasses and work perfectly with helmets, goggles, and other safety gear.

Your safety depends on taking the right steps. Daily disposable lenses work best, especially when you sweat a lot or play in dusty conditions. On top of that, keeping eye drops nearby helps fight dryness, and you should avoid touching your eyes to prevent germs. Water poses serious infection risks - don't swim or shower while wearing contacts.

Most sports work well with contact lenses, but swimming needs extra care because of bacteria in the water. Sports with face contact might knock your lenses loose, so always keep spare ones handy.

The right contacts can change your game by giving you clear, open vision without glasses getting in the way. So you'll play better, stay safer, and feel more comfortable during sports. When you pick the right lenses and take good care of them, you can put all your energy into playing your best instead of thinking about your vision.