The Jogging Edge: Contacts

By James Pynn

I come from a long line of myopic people -- literally. I'm the only member of my family who wears contacts. I'm not the only one who needs them, but I'm the only one willing to make the change-over and lead a double-life. Glasses and contact lenses can coexist -- they are not mutually exclusive.

Strange as it may sound, both my parents have Nutty Professor-esque prescriptions. They both also have astigmatisms, which I also inherited. My father has never tried to wear contacts. He claims his reasons are sartorial, but I think he's afraid of putting them on. My mother, on the other hand, has tried to wear them, but complains her eyes are too sensitive. Then she breaks into tears and does her best impression of Vivien Leigh. Don't ask.

It just so happens that I lead a so-called "active" lifestyle. This means I like to jog and swim. Of course, glasses are absolutely horrible for either of these activities. In fact, short of attending a lecture and scribbling notes in a Moleskine, glasses have no place in any activity. The only thing worse than wearing glasses whilst jogging it hearing them crunch underfoot.

I'm competitive by nature and when it comes to jogging, I've actually managed to invest enough time and effort to qualify as a professional amateur. I know what you're thinking: "competitive jogging?" It's the sport of the ancients, beloved by the Greeks, yada yada, and completely antithetical to the very idea of corrective eye-wear.

It's no use trying to strap your glasses to your head if you're a jogger. The problem is not just the slippage, it's the sweat. One swipe from a towel and there goes your field of vision. In fact, you need that little thing that glasses hamper: peripheral vision. Successful competitive jogging requires constantly surveying the lane, knowing where your adversaries are. This means, it requires a comfortable pair of contact lenses. - 30553

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