I did a search and the most recent threads I saw on this topic was 2009. So I thought I'd get fresh opinions on this. In two weeks i go back to the eye doc and hopefully he will give me the all clear to start officiating again. I still need glasses for the astigmatism and maybe sharpen my vision from the current 20/40. As I got in my car at lunchtime today, I noticed how bright it was outside. For those who haven't read the eye surgery thread, I had my lenses replaced after cataracts got too bad. The brightness of a cloudless noon sky is still almost too much after years of dimness. Now that USSF allows hats, I plan to use mine if needed. But what about prescription sunglasses or transitional lenses? Do you use either? Why or why not? 95% of my games are on a small-sided field. But even if I do a U-13 SRPL game again, should I use them if it is still too bright? Or even on the small fields? I'll hang up and listen.
With 20/500 vision correctable with glasses and having experienced 48 hours of temporary blindness from an eye infection the last time I wore contacts 25 years ago, I can't ever imagine ever not wearing glasses on the pitch - playing or officiating.
There is a stock answer to this: no darkened lenses. Personally I think this is a little silly. Sunglasses are worn in bright sun by so many athletes in many different sports, albeit in sports which do not involve contact. I can pretty much guarantee that my vision and acuity are better in bright sun when I have my Maui jims on. I am certainly more comfortable. But of course I don't wear them when refereeing, ever. I only wear my hat in u little games, Because somewhere along the line someone thought it doesn't look professional. I think that whatever the conditions, being comfortable means less distraction and less distraction means better focus.
I think wearing sunglasses can affect communication, it makes one seem less approachable. Personally I think players and coaches should be able to see our eyes when we talk to them. Not to mention it could make it hard to see your watch and book.
threeputz makes valid points. In my opinion, voiceofIg's situation is one where the health and welfare of the official trump those factors. This is not some frivolous use of eyewear, but a case where an interested and AVAILABLE ref needs an additional tool so that some kids can have a game. I personally wear specs when reffing since my astigmatism is only partially corrected by the contacts I wear when I play.
At tournys, I almost always wear a hat because of the length of time in sun. I rarely wear a hat while centering, though, unless it's raining. I recently started wearing glasses again after the lasik surgery kind of wore out over time (getting older has its peculiarities). And then, after 20 years, I started wearing contacts for games about a month ago. All good. I would never think of wearing sunglasses in a match. The eye contact with players and coachs is important. However, in my other sport (baseball) my fellow umpires rarely don't wear sunglasses.
I wear a hat any time the sun is out. When you are follically challenged you have to for protection. As for sunglasses I wear them for HS matches when I am AR for early games. A 4:30 or 5:00 JV match will have one AR staring straight across into a sun lowering over the stadium as most stadiums are oriented N/S so one line is always looking W. Even with sunglasses it's tough. I also wear them for adult league matches. Out local league is small sided, single man games on artificial turf. In the afternoon and early evening it's impossible to see the lines without polarized lenses. I wear prescription glasses every day and use sunglasss that go over and wrap around by regular glasses.
My take: shaded glasses do interfere with communication among the referee team as well as with players and coaches. (Hats do, too, but to a lesser extent.) That's why you don't see them in professional games. But we don't (at least most of us) do that level of game with that type of facility with only a single game. So we have to do what we have to do. If you have medical issues that make the sunglasses important, by all means wear them. If you can get away with a hat, that's better. But take care of yourself and your eyes. If you need them, you need them, so just wear them and don't worry about it. (Consider whether it makes sense to take them off when talking to a player or coach.)
Yes, they do (hope my post wasn't taken to mean otherwise). Our first priority (in youth matches particularly) is player safety but we shouldn't be putting ourselves at risk either. My opinion is that this extends to much more than sunglasses. Warning: war story coming: I had an argument last year with a state ref at an early season tournament game where it was about 45 degrees, overcast and breezy. I was scheduled to AR a top level U16 boys game and was dressed for the weather including long pants. The CR was wearing shorts and insisted we should all match. I flat out refused and told him I would not risk my health for the sake of appearances, if he didn't like it he could do the game without me. That was the end of the discussion and we did the game. He was also one of the worst centers I worked with last year, thankfully that was the first and last time I saw him.
@threeputzzz no I took your meaning utterly, sorry if my phone-typed response came off as curt Now on to weightier matters, like whether our shoes are all black
I thought we'd moved onto two- or three-stripe socks, and where the stripes should be for three-stripes...
Your health comes first, I don't think you're trying to move up to the pro level. If you were my advice would be to get contacts. However non tinting glasses can be dangerous for your skin and eyes. The effect of the sun is very similar to magnifying glass when you wear glasses. As far as pants go. Depends on the game and even the number of games my AR will be doing, of he or she is doing multiple games than I typically won't say a word unless it's a state tournament.
I have an official I work with who has issues with his eyes. He using a yellow tint though, so it helps with the UV rays, but players can still see his eyes. He even goes as far as to bring it up in the coin toss. Lets them know he is only wearing them for health reasons and hopes players can see his eyes when communicating. He has never had an issue with players or coaches.
I find it nonsensical that the USSF would rather I squint into the rising/setting sun as an AR, barely able to see a thing, than allow me to wear sunglasses that would significantly improve my performance.
Yeah I mean after a certain point especially at yoof level the people who do the games become part of the fabric of their fields/clubs, like the fields with lousy port-a-johns, or the ones with awesome playgrounds for the siblings, or the ones near top-flight pizza joints (or even second-flight). Actually come to think of it, the same thing happens with the refs for MBB games. FTFY
I've gotten good-natured (I hope, it sounded that way anyway) grief about wearing pants from an old-timer in 40 degree weather. But no one insisted on me removing them. A local place has a two for deal, so i am going to see about getting two pair. One plain glasses and one transition and pay extra for the transition lenses. Then I will play it by ear (eye?) and see which one to wear. And if I need to get eye to eye with a coach, I take the glasses off. He may need to see my stink-eye. Thanks, all for the input.
I'm not an eye doctor, but my understanding is that modern polycarbonate glasses block all UV -- without any tint. (That doesn't mean that there aren't other eye reasons to have tint.) I think the same is true of most contact lenses.
I've worn glasses for, well, a very, very long time. When I started playing, I wore "Rec Specs," if anyone remembers them, which were absolutely horrible. It got to the point that I started to just play without anything. When I became a referee, I wore glasses but almost immediately noticed a major problem. When it rained, rain drops kept falling on my head, and the water stayed on the lenses. Yeah, big problem, especially when you first notice this doing a high school boys JV game, solo. Boy, was I stupid not to think about this. That day, I finally pulled out a hat but shortly afterwards I got contacts. It also eliminated the offers of help to clean my glasses for me. My eye doc said that, with the contacts, my vision was actually better than with glasses. They're not so great in wind and when the pollen count is high, so I take a decongestant for the second problem. As others have noted, like hats, this is the sort of thing that some of us who don't do MLS games need. Don't worry about it.