This July and August we’re lighting up monuments across the country in vibrant green and gold, throwing a nation’s worth of support behind the mighty Matildas as they battle through the FIFA Women’s World Cup. With the recent success of the Australian men and women’s cricket teams in retaining the Ashes for 2023, and the return of much-loved F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo to the racing grid, this is turning out to be a dominant year for Aussie sports people on the world stage. We’re looking now to the rest of the year, eagerly awaiting events including the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August and the eighth season of the NAB AFLW competition in September.

Match Ready, Eyes Steady
As we scream our support at TVs and live in stadiums, it’s important to remember that no athlete begins their journey at the top. As proud as they make us, all that groundwork is laid early on, with the next-generation Sam Kerrs, Emma Mckeons and Michelle Paynes right now taking their first steps towards future greatness. They deserve the best chance possible to achieve their dreams, including the best vision. If you’re an aspiring athlete – or perhaps the guardian of one – and the soccer goals look a little blurry, or teammates and opponents are becoming hard to tell apart from afar, make sure to book a bulk billed eye test at Island Optical to keep your eye on the game.

Poor eyesight should never hold you back in pursuing your sporting ambitions. Examples of this can be seen across a variety of disciplines: from cricketer Todd Murphy to AFL ruckman Mason Cox. With glasses such a common occurrence in normal life, their absence in many sports codes might seem odd. But for many professional athletes, glasses are not the ideal prescription eyewear for the sportsground. Contact lenses, however, are a much more convenient solution, keeping your vision clear without the dangers of bulky specs in an active environment.

All the Benefits and None of the Hassle…
Glasses are great. Beyond the incredible vision benefits, they’re also a unique fashion statement, an opportunity to really show off your personality. However, difficulties arise when sports become involved. Before you take your favourite specs sprinting around the volleyball court or football field, take a moment to consider whether trading your glasses for contact lenses might make your game significantly smoother.

• In many outdoor sports the weather can have a massive influence on the outcome of a game. Your glasses, unfortunately, can also fall victim to such weather. Raindrops, mud, dirt, fog – as well as reflective glare – can all hinder your vision, accumulating on glasses lenses through the contest. This might leave your sight partially impaired for portions of the match or become distracting and put you off your game. With contact lenses, you never need to worry about weather conditions obscuring your vision. Rain, hail, or shine, play your best undistracted by anything the elements send your way.
• The reality of many sports is movement. Running, jumping, spinning and tackling; there are a million opportunities for glasses to be jostled on your face, or even flung right off. Slippery sweat, as well, can mean time spent making annoying adjustments mid-game. All this can leave your vision less than stable in important matches and become a distraction during big moments. For vision stability during all the sprinting and leaping of your chosen sport, give contact lenses a try.

• Perspective is key for strategic play. A full field of view is essential for both quick decision-making and safety on-field, as awareness helps keep players out of harm’s way. However, occasionally, peripheral view can be obscured by interfering glasses rims. Meanwhile, contact lenses allow for a much wider field of view, giving you the best possible outlook on the game.
• If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know how essential helmets can be. Protective gear is common in sports as a measure to ensure the fun of the activity isn’t lost to an unfortunate injury. However, often helmets and other safety gear – or even the earphones and headphones supplying your gym workout tunes – can be awkward and uncomfortable to wear simultaneously with glasses. Instead of foregoing this important safety gear, contact lenses provide the perfect solution, allowing clear vision without any discomfort.

• Is there a worse feeling than breaking a new pair of glasses? Sitting or standing on frames is a rare tragedy in everyday life, but bringing specs onto the sports field poses an even greater risk. Whether a contact sport or not, the chance is always there for flying balls, running feet, or swinging arms to collide with your delicate glasses. This can not only damage the pair, but also cause injury to yourself, your teammates, and your opponents. Protect your glasses, yourself, and your mates by wearing contact lenses on the field.

Game, Set, Match at Island Optical
At Island Optical, we want to give you the best chance we can of sending the ball confidently between the big sticks, through the hoop, into the goal, and beyond. Every Matilda on the field was once a young kid with determination and a dream, and there’s no reason that can’t be you too.

Contact lenses keep your vision clear, your glasses safe, and your focus intact in the heat of the competition. If you think your game could benefit from these lenses, speak to the optometrist at your next bulk billed Island Optical appointment, and get a full sense of what the future could look like through contacts.