How to handle a squash match, as a very-nearsighted athlete?

Question

I am nearsighted, such that everything would be opaque without glasses and I can not play squash, practically.

I've lived with the glasses over 20 years in daily life without any problem, but now they are considerable bottleneck within playing squash, because:

• As a matter of safety: People assert that any probable smashing hit from the ball to the glasses could be really dangerous for me... So, I better not not think about playing squash with glasses...

• As a matter of performance: The glasses will slip on my face... Therefore, I can not have the desired agility, noticeably.

I've studied something about potential options for this problem:

The contact lenses: They are highly-criticized by some experts and probably are not the right solution.

Goggles: They sound to be able to handle the issue, in view of the security, but they are not, supposedly, usable to fix my eyesight problem (as glasses do)... I've found no evidence for medical goggles, within whose structure the medical lenses, just like glasses, have been used...

Would you please do me a favor and share any potential experience about the matter?

Answer 1

I would've thought that the combination of contact lenses and goggles would be a good solution as long as you can get used to wearing contacts.

Anecdotally, I know plenty of racket-sport players who use contact lenses instead of glasses, my wife included. She insists they are better than glasses particularly because when wearing glasses, the ball/shuttle will be hard to track through her peripheral vision in which it becomes both blurry and slightly offset. I am an occasional contact lens wearer, for night cycling. I'm not aware of any serious health objections to contact lenses, provided good hygiene practice is followed.

However, some people find contact lenses difficult to wear even after a period of adjustment/practice. If they are really not for you, it appears it is possible to get prescription squash goggles.

Answer 2

Well, i can't estimate how equal Badminton and Squash are, but maybe you can nevertheless profit somehow: I've been playing Badminton over a year with glasses and additionally, I've been using them also in my sports course in high school since approximately 3 years or so.

Basically, I'd suggest you

• to use "plastic glasses". I don't know the official term for that. But those provide the full vision, but are not made of glas - and are therefore a lot safer. (I use them)
• to ask your eye shop, if they can "modify" the temple, so that it doesn't fall of that easily. I personally still have to readjust them sometimes (especially if i'm heavily sweating or/and running.) - but in my opinion, it is still an option. And in Badminton, i feel quite agile - at least my glasses aren't limiting factors.