The essential accessory for your sports performance!
Glasses are an integral part of an athlete’s kit, which is why it is essential to choose them carefully. Poorly adapted to your body shape or your sport, they will quickly become a constraint that will reduce your comfort and therefore your performance: you have understood, the choice of glasses is not just an aesthetic question (even if that counts…), it is above all a technical choice!
The first function they are asked to perform is to protect you from the elements. Of course the sun, but also the rain and the wind. Then, they must provide “mechanical” protection for the eyes and face against branches, dust, gravel and insects (cyclists who ride without glasses have not yet had the joy of getting a midge in the eye at 35 km/h… a great moment. So I’m not talking about gravel!). Finally, the most efficient ones will be able to significantly improve your performance: in fact, a well-adapted frame with lenses that perfectly match the requirements of your sport and the weather conditions will be a significant asset! Nous en parlerons dans “Comment choisir ses verres”…
Finally, professional athletes will tell you that the moment you put on your glasses mentally prepares you for the effort you will have to make to achieve your goal. It’s a real mental conditioning exercise, you’re in your own bubble, ready to go!
So, how do you choose the right ones?
Before diving headlong into the existential choice of your future best ally, you must first understand what we are talking about and what is at stake.
The frames will rest on 3 support points which are the nose and the top of the ears These are the only places where your glasses should be in contact with the face!
First thing to check : contact with the cheeks. If by forcing your best smile, the glasses come off, it is because they are not adapted to your face shape. You absolutely must change to a lower, more horizontal model…
Next, you need to check the contact point at the ears. This little diagram allows you to see the anatomy of the head and in particular the position of the Superficial Temporal Veins and Arteries (n°9)! They go over the temples and won’t be compressed by your frames!
Be sure to check these 2 lateral support points, because during exercise, the diameter of your veins and arteries will increase to meet your body’s oxygen requirements. So if your frames compress these areas at rest, it will become unbearable during exercise!
In addition, as our skull is rather oval in shape, frames that are too small will tend to be ejected forward and therefore will have to be constantly raised!
The family of sports glasses!
The first thing sports eyewear has in common is a geometry adapted to the shape of the head. They are curved to follow the curve of the face. Technically, we talk about base 6 or 8 frames. The higher the number, the greater the curve. Here again, you have to be careful when making your choice: ideally, the frame should follow your face as closely as possible , without ever touching it even when you speak or grimace… As we have seen, it can quickly become embarrassing!
Then, there are 3 types of sports glasses, each of which has its own specificities:
Rimmed frames
As the name suggests, the frame goes completely around the lenses. These are the most “closed” ones which will allow you to protect yourself very well from the sun and glare . Therefore, they are also less ventilated and therefore more prone to fogging. They are generally used for high mountains and water sports .
Frames with interchangeable lenses
Appearing at the end of the 90s with the Half Jacket from the OAKLEY brand, these sports glasses are certainly the best compromise for multi-sport athletes . In fact, they are very covering but sufficiently ventilated to avoid fogging. They are therefore ideal for running, XC mountain biking, golf, tennis and low-speed sports.
Single screens
Single-screen glasses are the ultimate sports glasses . They are the windshield that will protect you from all the hazards encountered during your Iron Man or your cyclosportive! The screen surface is maximized to allow a clear 180° view without having to turn your head, but the size verification criteria are the same as for other frames: no contact with the face, that’s the rule!
As they are very closed, they will be perfectly suited to fast-moving sports, such as road cycling, cross-country skiing or sailing. The fast movement allows natural ventilation and prevents fogging.
In a nutshell…
As you can see, the choice of glasses is not as futile as it seems and this object should not only be considered as a social marker or accessory, even if this is its official category; it must above all meet the anatomical constraints of the face, the protection requirements and participate in improving sports performance.
As quality of vision is an integral part of performance, we have developed optical solutions for the best models in each category, which you will find in our frames catalogue.
If you have a new prescription, we advise you to change the lenses on your everyday glasses to ensure the quality of your new prescription.
