With the velocity of the projectiles used in request sports capable of reaching over 120 mph in a skilled player’s serve it is easy to see why they are a risk for eye safety.

Did you know that about 16% of serious eye injury is caused through sport? Just imagine the damage a ball the size and shape of your eye could do. Did you know that eye protection has been compulsory for all players in World Junior Squash Championships since 1999?

Eye protection is obviously vital to protect from injury but can also enhance your ability considerably. Specialised tennis lenses are available which cause the ball to be virtually luminous and ensure you will play at your best regardless of brightness or low light.

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.