There’s no reason not to wear protective eyewear on the court. I’m serious. Find a pair that fits your head. Find a pair that doesn’t fog up or cause glare. It’s just not worth losing an eye over something so easily preventable.
I see it at every single tournament: someone takes a hit to the face, and my breath stops. I pray they’re wearing glasses. Today, I watched a 3.5/4.0 women’s doubles match, and twice, players were struck in the face. The first player had protective eyewear, shook it off, and bounced right back. The second player wasn’t as lucky. She needed a moment to recover, clearly realizing she had just dodged a bullet. The ball didn’t even come from her opponent—it came off her partner’s edge guard. No chance of reacting to that. Bam. That fast.
I’ve seen so many different types of eyewear. Some players even resort to buying a pair of regular glasses and removing the lenses. As long as the frame is small enough to prevent the ball from hitting your retina, it works. Honestly, young and old alike should be wearing them.
I remember last year when JR got hit in the face during mixed doubles. My fault. I didn’t get him a pair of glasses until after that first hit. But I expected him to react to adult-speed balls without protection? It was a hard lesson learned. Always wear protective eyewear. Don’t become one of the horror stories of detached retinas and long-term damage.
If you’re curious about what my kids and I wear: JR and Lily both wear the RIA Eyewear Model One, and I wear the RIA Reflex. If you want a discount, “Megan10” works as a code, but this isn’t about pushing a brand. Just find something that works for you and wear it. Please. Your eyes are worth it.
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