Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.

In today’s guest blog post from Dr. Joel Kestenbaum of Optix Eyecare in Long Island, NY, he discusses protective eyewear and winter sports …

The 2010 Winter Olympics are upon us.  Lets take a look at the common attributes most Winter Olympians have:

• Athletic ability
• Drive and determination
• Support of family and friends
• Excellent vision

If you look at all the skiers, snowboarders, speed skaters, lugers and bobsledders, they are all wearing some sort of protective eyewear.  How do they know which lenses to wear?  What if it is cloudy, sunny, snowing, sleeting, raining, foggy, nighttime, or early morning?

Think Safety First

You can be certain that the lenses in an athlete’s goggles are made of polycarbonate.  For fast-moving winter sports, this material is much more impact-resistant than glass or conventional plastic. The frame also needs to be lightweight and flexible reducing the likelihood of the lens breaking or popping out in a bad fall.  Prescription lenses can be made for inserts that sit behind the shield of the goggle or some goggles are actually made to wear over a regular pair of eyeglasses.

Think Visual Efficiency Next

Black, gray, or smoke lenses

Best for bright conditions – they dim the bright sunlight to ease the strain on your eyes. Depending on the intensity of the tint, these lenses do darken your vision but gray does not alter color.  These lenses are best for wide-open areas, especially on sunny days.  One should not ski or snowboard in trees or trails with dark lenses.

Amber Lenses
Amber is a color in between a light brown and a dark yellow lens.  Amber blocks blue light, greatly increases contrast.  This color is a good choice for seeing moguls out on the slopes.  Amber is best for under cloudy skies or on dimly lit trails but is not recommended for sunny days.

Brown or Bronze Lenses
I love brown lenses.  They are a good “all around” lens color choice.  Brown improves contrast, clarity, and depth perception.  Brown filters out blue light waves thereby enhancing shades of green in trees, bushes, and grass.  Brown is best for daytime skiing and snowboarding in good weather.

Vermilion, Red or Rose Lenses
Red lenses, usually referred to as “rose” or “vermilion,” will increase contrast and brighten cloudy, dreary days. It is important to remember that this color lens distorts real world colors.  This fact is probably not important on the slopes.  These lenses are not suitable for bright, sunny days.

Yellow Lenses
Yellow works best in foggy, hazy conditions. Yellow increases clarity even in dense fog.

Best for: Skiing or snowboarding in the early morning fog.  Yellow is not for bright, sunny days.

Clear Lenses
Clear lenses do not alter your vision and work great in dark conditions when you still need to protect your eyes from wind, debris, and harmful UV rays. They are best suited for dark conditions, such as night skiing and snowboarding.

Polarized Lenses

Polarized lenses block reflected glare off the horizontal plane and are great when it’s bright out. But they may not be ideal near the end of the day when long shadows appear in the snow, because they are usually made with a darker tint than most sun lenses.  Polarized lenses are not suitable if you ski moguls or for nighttime use.

Anti-Fog

Look for anti-fogging features, UV protection and scratch resistance.  Some goggles have double lenses that discourage condensation from forming when the warm air of your breath makes contact with the cold lens.

And most importantly, athletes need excellent quality vision.  Whether you prefer eyeglasses or contact lenses, make sure your optometrist takes his or her time determining your best visual correction.

Stay safe on the slopes and enjoy the 2010 Winter Olympics!

Dr. Joel Kestenbaum

www.optixeyecare.com