Sunglasses or rather sans sunglasses

[sluggers]

If your sunglasses distort your vision, then you bought cheap sunglasses. (Ironic, isn't it: $5000 for a travel team, $300 for a bat, $150 for a glove, and $5 for sunglasses.) You can get some good sunglasses at Costco or Sam's for around $75.

The light reduction isn't important. The UV protection is.

Here are the facts:

Cataracts and Other Eye Damage​

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Research has shown that UV radiation increases the likelihood of certain cataracts. Although curable with modern eye surgery, cataracts diminish the eyesight of millions of Americans and cost billions of dollars in medical care each year.​

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Other kinds of eye damage include pterygium (tissue growth that can block vision), skin cancer around the eyes, and degeneration of the macula (the part of the retina where visual perception is most acute). All of these problems can be lessened with proper eye protection. Look for sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, that offer 99 to 100 percent UV protection.​

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The Mayo Clinic agrees.

Here is a link to an article form the University of Colorado regarding eye damage and UV radiation.


How do I happen to know all of this? I've been diagnosed with cataracts. The doctor said my eyes are about 5 years older than they should be. No, I never wore sunglasses when I coached or played.

 

[InsidePitch]

There are certain times of the day the OF could be looking directly into the sun. I have witnessed kids lose the ball in the bright sun so for DD it's a decent pair of glasses. After DD tried polarized she would wear nothing else. Rayban makes a nice product and like everything you have to keep after them to put them in the case and in the bag. I also make sure DD has a hat or visor.

 

[kenb63]

An informal and unscientific survey of pictures from DD's career indicates a peak sunglass-wearing period encompassing the middle school years. No one on her team wore sunglasses on the field during Gold nationals last summer, though the CF broke out a visor for one game. DD says sunglasses are a distraction especially when the sun is coming through netting or a fence. I suspect changing notions of fashion/coolness and her inability to keep a pair from being irreparable scratched after one weekend are also factors.

 

[Abrasiveboy]

Sunglasses, try safety glasses

A lot of sunglasses do distort, but safety glasses are made with with much tighter specifications and come in all sorts if styles. They have them in red, amber, smoke, blue and clear, just to name a few. I rep safety items so I give them to my girls. But I don't recommend them using tge yellow or blue tint. You can find them online, just make sure they are safety glasses, they are thicker lenses and that is the reason for the lack of distortion.

 

[liviking]

I also had a umpire ask my DD if they were prescription sunglasses . They were , she was allowed to wear them but no one else could . I was not aware there were rules for wearing sunglasses in softball !

 

[Comp]

I also had a umpire ask my DD if they were prescription sunglasses . They were , she was allowed to wear them but no one else could . I was not aware there were rules for wearing sunglasses in softball !

There arent.

 

[MTR]

I also had a umpire ask my DD if they were prescription sunglasses . They were , she was allowed to wear them but no one else could . I was not aware there were rules for wearing sunglasses in softball !

As Comp noted, there are no such rules. This sounds like an overzealous umpire who at one time or another was convinced by either a parent or coach that the glare or reflection was a distraction to the batter and shouldn't be allowed. This is totally absurd.

Best response I've heard from an umpire? "Coach, if the batter is watching the pitcher's eyes instead of the ball, the sunglasses aren't the problem"

 

[Phathead]

Sluggers hit it right. My DD vision over the long term is far more important than a ground that might be missed.