You can wear contact lenses during a basketball game as there are no rules prohibiting it in the official rule book of NBA and other players wearing contact lenses during the game.
Playing basketball can be a physically and mentally challenging
sport. And the best
players are those who are most alert and aware of what is going on up and down the court.
This can be difficult if you are visually impaired. How can you keep your eyes on the ball, or your opponent, if you can’t see?
According to the World Health Organization, Globally approximately 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment and out of this 2.2, the 1 billion cases are preventable.
What does this mean for someone who wants to play basketball?
Why Not Just Wear Glasses?
In basketball, There are some players which played the game while wearing glasses.
Some of those players are Kareem Abdul Jabbar who is a 6-time NBA champion and played around 20 seasons in his career. He is the biggest NBA star he wears glasses during play.
Horace Grant won 4 NBA Championships and managed to rack up more than 1,100 points during his career. He too wore glasses.
Big George Mikan and Kurt Rambis are some of the greatest players in NBA history wore glasses. Yet, for many people in the sport, glasses are not a viable option.
Why?
Well, for starters, The rules states:
- The NCAA rule book in section 26 Art 6 states that Protector for facial bone even though its hard can be wear including eye glasses and mouth guard protectors under the condition it should not injure or endanger other players.
Since there are no rules strictly prohibiting players from wearing glasses, most people don't think twice about the players on the court wearing glasses.
But in reality it is a rare sight. Out of the 983 players in the NBA, only three of them wear glasses on a regular basis. That's less than one percent. So why is it that such a small percentage of basketball players wear glasses?
There are a few reasons
for this.
- The first reason is that glasses can actually be a hindrance on the court. They can slip down your nose, they can get in the way when you're trying to shoot or rebound, and they can fog up when you start to sweat.And while this may not be such a big deal for someone occasionally playing basketball with friends, this kind of stuff can be a big deal in a basketball league of any size.
- The second reason is that many basketball players feel like they don't need glasses.And there are other reasons. For example, Utah Guard Donovan Mitchell chooses glasses over contact lenses because he doesn’t like touching his eyes.
Now what about contact lenses?
You can wear contact lenses during a basketball game as there are no rules prohibiting it in the official rule book of NBA and other NBA players wearing contact lenses during the game.
Find here official rule book of NBA
In sports, it all starts with the eyes. Vision in sports is not just about seeing letters on a chart.
As stated before, you have to be aware of what's going on all around the court.
And this is where Depth Perception comes into play.
Stereopsis:
Depth perception can be described as 3D vision or stereopsis. Depth perception is required for calculating the separation of yourself, your teammates, the ball, boundary lines, the basket, etc.
Being able to judge your position in relation to those objects allows the player to get the ball to teams, or assess the defense positions of the rivals.
What makes the perfect contact lens for sport? With which you can quickly move your eye muscles, so you wouldn’t want a contact that hinder your vision in any way.
You need a lens that heightens your peripheral vision. Super soft and comfortable lenses with Reusability touch.
Are there risks associated with wearing contacts?
The short answer is, yes.
One is that contact lenses can become dislodged during vigorous physical activity, such as playing basketball. This can lead to the lenses becoming scratched or even stuck in the eyes.
Another thing to consider is that contact lenses can increase the risk of eye infection.
Bacteria and other contaminants can easily become trapped under the lens and cause an infection if you are not careful or hygienic with its use.
This is especially true if contacts are not properly cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis.
Benefits outweigh the Risks:
- That said, the benefits of wearing contact lenses far outweigh any potential risk.
- The biggest benefit is not handling glasses and other people not knowing that you are wearing contact lenses.
- Obviously, You have to state to NBA that you are wearing them but it is much easier to handle and will give you a clearer vision without audience knowing you are wearing them unless someone points out what more you can ask for.
NBA Players That do wear Contact Lenses:
- Steph curry a great NBA player and 3 times champion wore contact lenses during gameplay.
- Dwight Howard is another NBA player who plays while wearing contact lenses.
Unofficially lot more NBA players prefer to wear contact lenses as it is harmless to other players and easy to get care of.
For example, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook have both been seen wearing glasses in the past. But it is not clear whether they opted for contacts or have gone on to get eye correcting surgery as many players who can afford it do
Benefits of Wearing Contact Lenses:
Easy Wear:
Contact lenses are great for sport. They are easier than wearing glasses because they give you better all-around visions.
And you don’t have to worry about your glasses falling off, so they are a lot safer.
Eye muscle move:
Good contacts also help with how quickly your eye muscles move, which is essential for awareness on the court.
For this reason, you wouldn’t want a contact that hinders you in any way. You need a lens that heightens your peripheral vision.
Ones that are super soft and comfortable.
Reusability:
Another thing to take into consideration is reusability.
While this may not be much of an issue for someone who makes millions from the sport, the average player must consider the quality of contact lenses in order for you to use them repeatedly.
Contact lenses that wear out faster than others may not be a good choice for people who are not trying to break the bank in order to play basketball comfortably.
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In conclusion:
Contact lenses can be worn during a basketball match just make sure it's safe, sterilize, and won't harm your eyes while keeping the safety of other players in consideration.
As we have stated examples of numerous NBA players who had worn contact lenses and glasses, played the sport, and became the greatest NBA star.
You should be careful with its use, if it doesn't feel comfortable might as well play without them but if you think contact lenses are best match with your playing style do give them a try
