Contact lenses for sport

Focus on improving your vision

If you normally wear glasses, you may already pop in contact lenses when you're going for a run or playing another sport, to avoid the problems of spectacles that fall off, mist up or get in the way.

But did you know that contact lens technology means they can actually enhance your performance?

New innovations mean that wearing a pair of lenses can give you what the experts are calling 'HD vision'.

This is achieved by controlling the visual distortions that exist in many people who have 20:20 vision, which although it sounds like the ultimate in perfect vision is in fact anything but. You can still have 20:20 vision if the lowest line of the Snellen Chart (that's the one with the lines of letters that get smaller towards the bottom) is a bit hazy.

Many elite athletes from the worlds of cricket, rugby, tennis - even Olympics competitiors - choose contact lenses to improve their vision, in many cases leading to sight that exceeds 20:20.

For sports such as tennis, or others where there are fast-moving objects, it is critical that the player sees the ball as quickly and as accurately as possible, which is where contact lens developments can help. The technology present in HD lenses, such as PureVision 2 HD, is particularly effective in low light conditions, under floodlights or when night glare can be an issue.

Nick Dash, Sports Vision Specialist at Loughborough University, says, 'Contact lenses are used by the "weekend warrior" so-called occasional sports or activity enthusiasts, but they are even more important in elite athletes that want a level playing field to their normally sighted competitors. Professional sportsmen and women often demand the very best in vision – it can be a key differentiator in sports performance.'

But before you rush out and order a pair, make sure the lens is suitable for your eyes, as the power and shape of your eyes, plus the way tears from your eyes interact with the lens, has a bearing on what lens you should use.

Even if you've tried contact lenses before and not liked them, it might be worth giving them another go, as developing technology means you may find a type that suits you better now.

According to research conducted on behalf of Bausch & Lomb, more than a quarter of patients who chose contact lenses were motivated to make the switch because they wanted to wear them for sports activities.

Watch out if swimming or water sports are your thing, however. There's the risk of the lens being washed away, plus the (slight) risk of infection from water sources such as swimming pools. Talk to your contact lens supplier about this if you're concerned.