why wear sports glasses when running

With the promotion and development of running, more and more running events are coming one after another, and more people are joining the running community. When it comes to running gear, the first thing that comes to mind is running shoes. Next is running clothing, and professional runners might buy compression garments to protect themselves. However, the importance of sports sunglasses has always been overlooked by many runners.

If you conduct a random survey among runners and ask: Do you wear glasses when you run? The majority would likely say no. However, during marathon events, you will still see many runners wearing glasses of various styles and lens colors, looking cool and stylish.

Actually, this is not just for looking cool but for protecting the eyes.You should know that our eyes are very susceptible to absorbing ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause significant damage to the eyes.Sports sunglasses can effectively block ultraviolet rays and avoid the irritation of strong light.Today, I'll explain the importance of wearing sports sunglasses while running~

What are the benefits of wearing sports sunglasses?

1. UV Protection

Ultraviolet rays are part of solar radiation and are the most harmful part. We cannot observe the presence of ultraviolet rays with the naked eye. However, they are always around us, day and night. Don't think that the sun's rays are not strong on cloudy days and the weather is not hot, so you can be careless. Ultraviolet rays are present 24 hours a day.

Our eyes are very susceptible to absorbing ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight during training or competition can cause significant damage to the eyes.Ultraviolet damage accumulates over time. Each exposure to sunlight radiation has a cumulative effect on your eyes.

Ultraviolet rays should be absorbed by the lens in the eye. If not fully absorbed, they will enter the retina, causing macular degeneration. Incomplete absorption can also lead to lens clouding, resulting in cataracts and other serious eye diseases. Prolonged overexposure to ultraviolet rays may lead to chronic conjunctivitis, corneal damage, pterygium, glaucoma, and retinal damage.

Although some people say that a hat can block sunlight, it does not provide 360-degree protection close to the eyes, making it far less effective than sunglasses. Professional sports sunglasses with high-tech UV protection coatings can filter 95% to 100% of ultraviolet rays.

2. Protection from Strong Light

In addition to ultraviolet rays, the strong light in sunlight can cause severe irritation to the eyes.Studies have shown that outdoor sunlight can be up to 25 times stronger than indoor light.Sunglasses can soften and weaken strong light, providing a comfortable transition for the eyes in changing outdoor light conditions, ensuring smooth running.Outdoor runners can improve visual clarity by wearing sunglasses.

When you move from a long period of strong light exposure to a relatively darker environment, you may experience short-term dizziness or even temporary blindness. This is particularly dangerous during trail running. If you can't see your surroundings clearly and can't judge your footing in time, it can lead to accidents.

In addition to sunlight and ultraviolet rays, light can produce irregular scattered light, commonly known as 'glare,' when passing through uneven surfaces or water. Glare can cause eye discomfort, fatigue, and affect visual clarity. Intense glare can even block vision, negatively impacting visual quality, and affecting your running enjoyment and safety.

3. Prevent Foreign Objects from Entering the Eyes

Wearing sports sunglasses while running provides the first line of defense for your eyes. They not only help block ultraviolet rays and strong light but alsoprevent the irritation caused by strong winds during fast movement. Additionally, sports sunglasses can prevent sand, flying insects, and branches from injuring your eyes.

Especially when running in the summer, there are more flying insects in the morning and evening. If you are not careful, they can get into your eyes, causing discomfort. Wearing sunglasses can effectively prevent foreign objects from entering the eyes.During trail running, you often focus on trail markers and road conditions, making it difficult to notice branches on the sides of the road, which can scratch your eyes.

The lenses of sports sunglasses have high impact resistance and can ensure that the lenses do not shatter and cause secondary damage to the eyes in case of accidental injury. Moreover, the excellent anti-slip and breathable design of the temples and nose pads ensures that the frame does not loosen even during fast running and heavy sweating, avoiding the embarrassment of frequently adjusting the glasses and preventing unnecessary distractions.

4. Ensure Good Dynamic Vision

During running, the dynamic vision of the eyes observing the road and surrounding conditions is much lower than when stationary. As running speed increases, the workload on the eyes also increases.

When the workload on the eyes is high, the decrease in vision is relatively significant, and the range of clear vision becomes narrower. Your visible vision and field of view deteriorate as speed increases. If your eyes and vision are not well protected, it becomes difficult to handle various situations, inevitably leading to accidents.

During the day or night, in different weather conditions and environments, the brightness of light constantly changes during running, affecting our vision. You can wear sunglasses with different lens colors to cope with different weather conditions.

Alternatively, you can choose photochromic lenses that automatically adjust the light entering the eyes according to the environment, enhancing eye comfort, maintaining high visual sensitivity, and ensuring clear vision. This also offers convenience, eliminating the need to change lenses.

Why can't you wear regular glasses while running?

For nearsighted runners, vision problems during running are indeed a major concern. Most runners still wear regular glasses while running, or directly wear contact lenses, while a few runners use a combination of contact lenses and regular sports sunglasses.

However, for running, the above methods are not advisable. Contact lenses can dry out and even cause physical damage to the cornea after prolonged exposure to wind. According to professional doctors: 'Contact lenses are foreign objects placed on the cornea. Each blink causes some friction with the surface of the eye. Additionally, the lenses cover the cornea, making it difficult for the cornea to directly absorb oxygen from the air.'

Prolonged or continuous wearing of contact lenses can cause the cornea to be in a state of continuous hypoxia, leading to corneal epithelial edema and erosion. If bacteria or viruses are present, it can lead to keratitis and even corneal ulcers.

Regular glasses have lower safety performance in terms of frames and lenses. The lenses lack protective features, and the frame design is unstable, making them prone to loosening during running. They are also more likely to slip when sweating, making them impractical.

What is the difference between sports sunglasses and regular sunglasses?

1. Lighter Lens Colors - Avoid Visual Disturbance

Generally, the lenses of regular sunglasses are darker than those of sports sunglasses. During exercise, this can cause visual confusion and greater harm to the eyes. Dark lenses not only make it harder to see but also cause the pupils to dilate. The more ultraviolet rays that enter through the pupil area, the greater the damage to the lens and retina, increasing the risk of glaucoma and cataracts.

Sports sunglasses can absorb a certain amount of infrared and ultraviolet rays through different lens colors, effectively reducing light intensity.

2. Anti-Slip Nose Pads and Temples - More Secure Fit

The nose pads and temples of sports sunglasses use soft rubber pads that fit the contact points with our skin, providing good stability during exercise. Even with sweat or rain on the skin, they remain anti-slip, eliminating the need to constantly adjust the frame due to shaking. Regular sunglasses have one-piece nose pads that may not fit everyone's nose bridge.

3. Curved Frames - Block Side Reflections

The biggest advantage of curved frames is that they provide 360-degree protection against ultraviolet rays and strong light. Scientific research shows that about 30% of ultraviolet rays enter our eyes from the sides, so comprehensive protection can effectively block sunlight.

4. Special Lens Coating - Water and Fog Resistant

Water-resistant coatings are standard on most sports sunglasses, preventing sweat or rain from sticking to the lenses and affecting vision. Especially in hot summer, sweat inevitably drips onto the lenses, and the water-resistant coating makes the sweat disappear instantly.

5. Easily Twisted Frame Material - Reduced Breakage

Running gear emphasizes lightness, and no one carries an eyeglass case to store glasses. The usual simple and rough method is to throw the sunglasses directly into the bag. Sports sunglasses use easily twisted materials for the frame, so they won't break or get damaged from shaking and squeezing in the bag.

Summary

For those who are exposed to outdoor environments for long periods, whether road running or trail running, sports sunglasses have become essential gear, just like sunscreen. However, this gear is often easily overlooked by runners.

Owning a pair of sports sunglasses is not just for dressing up but more importantly for protecting your eyes from ultraviolet rays and strong light. They help you complete your running training or competition more healthily and safely, allowing you to enjoy the fun of running.

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