There are many health benefits to being active on a regular basis, and people have been more open to exploring different ways of being active due to all the time spent in quarantine. Over 50% of mobile phone users in the US have downloaded at least one fitness app, proving that more and more people are keen to exercise. However, for those who do not have a perfect 20/20 vision, you may need to figure out if exercise is best for you in contact lenses.
Benefits of contact lenses for exercise
The first and most obvious benefit is that contact lenses provide unobstructed, clear, and crisp vision. There are no frames to get into your line of sight, so you will have better peripheral vision. You can view more of your surroundings and react faster to your surroundings while exercising. While wearing contacts, you will have better depth perception.
The next benefit that plays a huge factor is comfort. Contacts are simply more comfortable. Since the lenses fit your eye, you will experience less distortion, even when moving. No more jostling frames when you move as well. You will also have no glare or reflections, which makes working out much easier, and you won’t have to worry about fogging and rain. Contact lenses are also unlikely to fall out or need adjusting, ensuring you can complete your exercise with no disruptions.
When you think about exercise-related equipment or needs, you always think about durability. Americans spent more than $10 billion on fitness equipment in 2015. Unlike eyeglasses, contacts will not break in your eye and cause injury. However, if you do lose a contact lens from one falling out in the middle of exercising, contacts are cheaper to replace than glasses- especially if you have the propensity to break your glasses frequently when being active or on-the-go.
Finally, contact lenses simply have better compatibility with safety equipment. For sports that require headgear or protective goggles, contact lenses don’t interfere with the fit or comfort of these safety devices.
So when can you not use contact lenses to exercise?
You should not be using contact lenses when playing water sports. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that you should not expose your contact lenses to any form of water. This includes showering, swimming pools, beaches, and hot tubs. Swimming with your contacts in your eyes can lead to possible eye infections from exposure to bacteria. The general rule is to replace your contacts as soon as you can after they come in contact with water. If you need to wear contact lenses when swimming, you can consider prescription goggles to cover your eyes.Â
Conclusion
Wearing contact lenses while exercising is a great alternative to eyeglasses, as long as you keep yourself safe by understanding the risks. Ensure the safety of your eyes further by practicing good habits like keeping yourself hydrated to reduce the risk of irritation from dry eyes when wearing contact lenses. Please make sure to check with your eye care professional before purchasing contact lenses.
