Let’s play ball!
Basketball glasses (a pair of Rec Specs, to be exact) took the NBA world by storm when Horace Grant wore them. The hooper dominated the 1990s courts.
Grant famously kept wearing glasses even after getting LASIK surgery to correct his myopia. He did so to inspire children with glasses and show them they could be basketball stars. And inspire he did!
Let’s take a closer look at basketball glasses and why they rule the game!
Hoopers and Their Glasses Over the Years
Grant wasn’t the first player to wear specs on the court. Arguably, the most famous hooper to wear glasses was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Jabbar suffered from a scratched cornea in a 1968 NCAA game. After that, he always showed up to games in his goggles.
Jabbar won six NBA MVP awards. He also held the record for the best NBA scoring from 1984 until LeBron James passed him in 2023. He is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. And he did all of this in his basketball glasses!
Some other top hoopers who wore glasses include James Worthy, Kurt Rambis, and Amar’e Stoudemire.
These men found success in the game while making sure they took care of their eyes. A basketball game can be a fast frenzy, and basketball glasses are necessary as protective wear, not just for vision correction.
Why Wear Basketball Glasses
Specialized sports glasses are preferred by elite players because they provide advantages you can’t find in regular glasses.
Unlike standard glasses, basketball glasses are engineered to the specific demands of high-intensity court action. You get superior eye protection on top of vision correction. Protection alone is a great reason to wear these, as Grant did after his corrective surgery.
Basketball ranks as one of the highest-risk sports for eye injuries. A famous instance is when LeBron James’ eye was poked during a game. This resulted in a subconjunctival hemorrhage, which needed time to heal. Other common basketball eye injuries include corneal scratches, cuts, and hyphema (blood in the front chamber of the eye because of a blow).
More serious injuries include retinal detachment, traumatic cataract, orbital fractures, and penetrating injuries.
There are approximately 600,000 sports-related eye injuries per year in the U.S. alone. About 42,000 of these injuries are serious enough to send someone to the emergency room. Around 13,500 of these injuries result in permanent blindness. Many of these injuries happen to children and teenagers.
Clearly, if you love the game, you should consider basketball glasses as part of your gear.
What to Look for in Basketball Glasses
There are several types of sports glasses, but only a select few can qualify as basketball glasses. Here’s what you should look for:
- Impact-resistance: Polycarbonate lenses are a must when it comes to these glasses. And not ordinary polycarbonate! Your lenses should pass the ASTM F803 standards for high-impact sports eyewear. These ensure 10 times impact resistance, especially when the game gets rough.
- Scratch-resistance: Polycarbonate is tough and shatterproof. However, it is not the most scratch-resistant material around. Scratch-resistant coating is a requirement when it comes to basketball glasses.
- Anti-fog coating: Basketball is a sweaty game. You don’t want your eyeglasses fogging up in the middle of making a shot. Anti-fog coating can help prevent this.
- Wrap-around design: Wrap-around glasses give your eyes comprehensive 180-degree coverage. You can see clearly, even in your periphery.
- Adjustable strap systems: When you’re playing a fast game, such as basketball, you want your glasses to stay on securely. Glasses straps can help with this.
- Polarized lenses: These lenses are designed to reduce glare. With minimal glare, you can see the court and gameplay clearly and without any distortions. Photochromic or transition technology and UV protection are also nice to have when it comes to basketball glasses, especially if you’re playing outdoors.
Top Basketball Glasses for Champions
There are several basketball glasses to choose from. Here are some of our top picks:
Rec Specs Maxx 31
With verified wearers like Grant, Rec Specs has become one of the leading names in sports glasses. Rec Specs Maxx 31 is one of their best pairs for basketball. These specs pass or even exceed ASTM F803 impact resistance standards. You can get these with non-prescription, single vision, and progressive lenses.
The Rec Specs Maxx 31 are ultra-lightweight wrap-around specs. They come with adjustable straps that securely fit the goggles, no matter how wild the game gets. Plus, you can get these glasses in adult and youth sizes.
Oakley Flak 2.0 XL
Oakley has always been one of the go-to brands for sports enthusiasts. Their Oakley Flak 2.0 XL glasses take things a notch up. Their lenses are tested against high mass and high velocity conditions. Add Prizm anti-glare technology, and you get eyewear that’s perfect!
EZContacts verified customers seem to think so, too!
JF gives them five stars and says:
“Awesome. Very nice glasses.”
Mark E. confirms, saying:
“I love these glasses. The look is great and everything is very distinct and clear. Wear them all the time and usually hate glasses.”
Progear Eyeguard EG-L1031
The Progear Eyeguard EG-L1031 glasses are popular sports glasses that offer ANSI-certified protection and ASTM F803 impact resistance-compliance. You get wide temples for extra side impact protection and 100% UV protection. Plus, you have the option to choose tinted and anti-fog lenses.
Wiley X Youth Force
The Wiley X brand of sports glasses caters mainly to young athletes. Their Wiley X Youth Force line is particularly popular because of its lightweight and versatile design. You can wear these glasses in school, before a game, or just casually as your everyday eyewear.
Wiley X Youth Force eyeglasses meet the ASTM F803 standard for impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses. The glasses offer 100% UVA/UVB protection and distortion-free clear vision.
Comparing Basketball Glasses
Unsure which pair to go for? Here’s a breakdown of all of these glasses’ features:
Ready to shoot some hoops? Make sure your eyes get the protection they deserve!
TL;DR
- Basketball glasses are NBA mainstays, with players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Horace Grant wearing them as they played to win.
- Basketball glasses offer superior eye protection, along with vision correction.
- Basketball eyeglasses need to pass ASTM F803 impact resistance standards. They also need to have anti-fog and scratch-resistant coatings, a wrap-around design, adjustable straps, and polarized lenses.
- Some of the best basketball glasses available include Rec Specs Maxx 31, Oakley Flak 2.0 XL, Progear Eyeguard EG-L1031, and Wiley X Youth Force.
