Choosing The Best Glasses For Safety On The Water
The right safety equipment is imperative if you enjoy water sports. Whether it's swimming, boating, skiing or fishing, your eye safety should be one of your number one concerns.
Risk Factors
A day on the water can pose many risks to your vision. The most common concerns include:
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Sun damage. Light is intensified on the water due to the reflective qualities. This can result in eye strain or lasting damage to your sight.
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Chemical or salt damage. Chlorine and salt water can both cause eye irritation and cloudy vision.
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Debris damage. If you're out on the lake or ocean waterskiing or on the jet ski, flying debris can hit you in the face. Small sticks and twigs are a common hazard. These can pierce an eye, causing blindness.
Additional Benefits
Protection from vision loss and major injury isn't the only reason to protect your eyes on or in the water. Quality sunglasses make your time more enjoyable, lessening the chance of headaches from the strain and reducing wrinkles from squinting.
If you wear prescription lenses, you can get safety glasses, tinted or clear, that match your prescription. This prevents damage and premature wear-and-tear on your normal glasses.
When playing in the water, goggles may be a better choice to avoid chlorine or salt irritation. These are also available with prescription lenses. It's a better option to wear prescription goggles or glasses than contact lenses when you're in the water. Contacts can trap bacteria, which can lead to an eye infection.
Eye Wear Features and Options
Unlike standard or fashion glasses and sunglasses, safety glasses are made to be shatterproof. When traveling at high speeds on a watercraft or behind a boat, you want glasses that won't break if debris hits you in the face.
Safety glasses are available in a range of styles and colors, so you don't have to give up your personal style while erring on the side of caution. The lenses also resist scratching, so they will survive the rigors of water sports and require less frequent replacement. For most water sports, basic impact rate glasses are sufficient. The high impact lenses are for sports and activities with a greater impact risk, such as baseball.
When picking out your glasses, choose those with a wrap-around frame so they fit snugly. Anti-reflective coatings are also beneficial when you're out on the water. A polarized tint on the glasses will help cut down on the water's glare. Contact a center like Optometrists Clinic Inc. for more information.
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