Most activity is fine
Running, cycling, gym work, yoga, team sports: many scleral lens wearers do all of these with their lenses in. Some people find lenses easier than glasses for sport, since glasses can slip and fog, and they can’t correct an irregular cornea as well.[5]
The FDA’s advice for contact lens wearers is to ask your eye care professional about wearing glasses or contact lenses during sports, to minimize your chance of injury.[1] That conversation matters most if you play contact sports or have had eye surgery, such as a corneal transplant.
A lens is not eye protection
This is the key point. A scleral lens covers the front of your eye, but it isn’t designed to stop a ball, a racket, or a finger.
- Sports eye injuries are common. A study of US emergency departments estimated about 30,000 visits a year for sports-related eye injuries. Basketball (22.6%), baseball and softball (14.3%), and air guns (11.8%) were the most common causes, and sports with projectiles carried the greatest risk of short-term vision loss.[4]
- Most injuries happen without eyewear. A systematic review of eye injuries in squash, racquetball, tennis, and badminton found that, across the studies analyzed, a median of 93% of eye injuries happened when no eyewear was worn.[3]
- The wrong eyewear can make it worse. The same review found that ordinary prescription glasses, contact lenses, and industrial eyewear made some injuries more severe. Open eye guards without lenses didn’t protect in squash and racquetball, because the ball could deform and still reach the eye. Only eyewear meeting updated safety standards (ASTM or similar) was associated with no eye injuries in all four sports.[3]
That review covered racket sports and hospital-treated injuries, but the lesson carries over: if there’s any chance of a hit to the face, wear sports eyewear that meets the safety standard for your sport, over your scleral lenses.
A lens can break
Scleral lenses are rigid. In a study of 157 keratoconus eyes followed for at least a year, a broken lens was the most common lens problem, recorded in 26.1% of eyes.[5] Keep backup glasses handy in case a lens breaks. Never wear a chipped or cracked lens.
Water sports are different
Take your lenses out for swimming, surfing, water polo, and hot tubs. Water in pools, hot tubs, lakes, and the ocean carries a risk of eye infection.[2] If you need to see in the water, ask about prescription swim goggles. The full detail is in scleral lenses and water.
Pack a gym-bag kit
A small zippered pouch with a few saline vials, your inserter and remover, a clean case with solution, and your glasses means a lens that pops out or a gritty eye doesn’t end your session. See the emergency kit guide and what to do if a lens pops out.
Wash sweat and sunscreen off your hands before you touch your lenses, and don’t rub your eyes with dirty hands.
Questions to ask your fitter
- “Is my sport safe for my eyes, given my condition?”
- “What protective eyewear do you recommend for it?”
- “Can I get prescription goggles for swimming?”
- “If I’ve had a corneal transplant, are there sports I should avoid?”
Common questions
Will a scleral lens fall out when I run or jump?
Scleral lenses are large, and their edges tuck under the eyelids. A lens can still pop out, for example after a blow or a hard rub. If it happens more than once, tell your fitter. Keep a small kit with you so you can deal with it. Our guide to a lens that pops out covers what to do.
Can I wear scleral lenses for swimming if I use goggles?
Take them out instead. Water carries organisms that can cause serious eye infections, and the FDA advises removing contact lenses before swimming. Ask your fitter about prescription swim goggles if you need to see in the water.
Do I need special eyewear for contact sports?
Ask your eye doctor about the right protection for your sport. In a review of racket sports injuries, only eyewear meeting updated safety standards was associated with no eye injuries; open eye guards without lenses didn't protect against squash and racquetball balls.