They’re also readily available, with many of the bestselling contact lenses from popular retailer Target Optical being daily disposables. Here, brands like Acuvue Oasys 1-Day and Dailies Total1 provide additional features beneficial for exercise. These use materials like Senofilicon A and Delefilcon A materials, which make them softer and more comfortable to wear while you move around. They’re also less likely to shift or fall out during high-impact activities compared to harder contacts like rigid gas permeable lenses. As with all contacts, you just need to ensure you have clean and dry hands when handling them.
2. UV protection for outdoor exercise
You shouldn’t feel limited to indoor workouts, especially since studies show that frequent exposure to nature significantly improves mental health and cognitive ability. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health also found that moving around green spaces reduces stress, even if you only do short but regular workout routines. To protect your eyes as you reap the benefits of outdoor exercise, you’ll want to wear contacts that can block out the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Overexposure to UV rays can advance eye aging and increase your risk of blindness from conditions like cataracts. The sun also produces blue light that, while also carrying beneficial effects for the body, can permanently damage the retina. That said, it’s ideal to look for tinted contacts that offer protection against harmful forms of sunlight. The Altius advanced performance-tinted contact lenses from Performance Vision Technologies is one example you can consider. A successor to Nike MaxSight, they’re specifically designed for athletes and can filter out up to 100% and 99% of UV rays and blue light, respectively. Because of their curated development, contact lenses like these can be especially exercise-friendly.
3. Moisture retention for intense workouts
Although a good pair of contact lenses shouldn’t cause irritation, many people still experience an adjustment period during which their eyes feel dry. Aside from causing discomfort, that dryness can blur your vision and strain your eyes, which may make it harder to assess your environment, respond to it, and avoid potential accidents when exercising outdoors. Though workouts themselves can be a natural solution for dry eyes, it can also help opting for contacts that actively keep the eyes moisturized. Natural tear production also requires you to take in more oxygen, so go for a contact lens material that allows more of it to pass through and infuse the eyes.
