Racquet Sports
Why should tennis players wear sunglasses when playing outdoors? Top ophthalmologists say tennis players’ eyes are at high risk due to excessive exposure to harmful UV rays. Playing outdoors for several hours at a time combined with looking into the sun while serving or hitting overhead smashes can damage the eyes' front surface. In addition to cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, sun exposure can lead to lesions and tumours that may be cosmetically unappealing and frequently require surgical removal.
Sam Stosur, who won the 2011 US Open singles title, is one of the new breed of tennis professionals who enjoy the benefits that wearing sunglasses on court can bring to their game. Not only do the tinted lenses give vital protection from the sun’s ultra-violet rays, but they can improve visual performance and give the player an edge over their opponent.
It is obviously essential that the frames fit properly, particularly for tennis, as any benefits from wearing the tinted lenses would be immediately negated by a sunspec that was moving around or slipping.