Eye protection for sparring
Discussion
This year I've moved from karate, where we had little/no contact sparring, to kickboxing. At 54, I'm comfortably the oldest newbie they've seen 
I have recently (after starting the kickboxing) had a condition called posterior vitreous detachment in my right eye (the jelly in your eye shrinks and comes away at the back), it's completely detached now with no retinal complications and so safe (it's the process of coming away that can damage the retina).
There is no published evidence that contact sparring of any sort can lead to/trigger/worsen this, it's primarily age-related... but I do apparently have an increased chance of the same thing happening in the other eye in the next year or two. Being very short-sighted, I do also have thinner retina than the next person, so there is more chance of the retina tearing when it happens.
I'm not here to discuss whether carrying on a contact sport is a good idea or not, I've already made that choice based on a good search of the literature... but we have to wear head guards for sparring anyway, so it seems sensible to invest in one that would reduce the chance of impact trauma to the other eye.
Has anyone used the ones with a full face polycarb mask that attaches to a fairly standard head guard? They sort of look a little fragile to me, but I assume they must be built to work... Also, I'm a sweaty type and will be breathing hard - do they steam up?
Or recommendations for makes and models that really do protect that area?
I have recently (after starting the kickboxing) had a condition called posterior vitreous detachment in my right eye (the jelly in your eye shrinks and comes away at the back), it's completely detached now with no retinal complications and so safe (it's the process of coming away that can damage the retina).
There is no published evidence that contact sparring of any sort can lead to/trigger/worsen this, it's primarily age-related... but I do apparently have an increased chance of the same thing happening in the other eye in the next year or two. Being very short-sighted, I do also have thinner retina than the next person, so there is more chance of the retina tearing when it happens.
I'm not here to discuss whether carrying on a contact sport is a good idea or not, I've already made that choice based on a good search of the literature... but we have to wear head guards for sparring anyway, so it seems sensible to invest in one that would reduce the chance of impact trauma to the other eye.
Has anyone used the ones with a full face polycarb mask that attaches to a fairly standard head guard? They sort of look a little fragile to me, but I assume they must be built to work... Also, I'm a sweaty type and will be breathing hard - do they steam up?
Or recommendations for makes and models that really do protect that area?
Good on you for doing what you want to do!
I’m 59 and stopped full contact a few years ago due to a spinal condition (Spinal stenosis) that badly affects my legs in terms of movement and pain.
However I’m having a back op in new year and will hopefully recover enough to get back to some form of ma.
To answer your question I tried a full contact helmet with face screen some years ago (no idea of make) for doing full on defence practice.
I hated it! Steamed up like buggery and felt very restrictive. We all ditched them after about 20mins.
Sorry not very helpful.
I’m 59 and stopped full contact a few years ago due to a spinal condition (Spinal stenosis) that badly affects my legs in terms of movement and pain.
However I’m having a back op in new year and will hopefully recover enough to get back to some form of ma.
To answer your question I tried a full contact helmet with face screen some years ago (no idea of make) for doing full on defence practice.
I hated it! Steamed up like buggery and felt very restrictive. We all ditched them after about 20mins.
Sorry not very helpful.
defblade said:
This year I've moved from karate, where we had little/no contact sparring, to kickboxing. At 54, I'm comfortably the oldest newbie they've seen
I have recently (after starting the kickboxing) had a condition called posterior vitreous detachment in my right eye (the jelly in your eye shrinks and comes away at the back), it's completely detached now with no retinal complications and so safe (it's the process of coming away that can damage the retina).
There is no published evidence that contact sparring of any sort can lead to/trigger/worsen this, it's primarily age-related... but I do apparently have an increased chance of the same thing happening in the other eye in the next year or two. Being very short-sighted, I do also have thinner retina than the next person, so there is more chance of the retina tearing when it happens.
I'm not here to discuss whether carrying on a contact sport is a good idea or not, I've already made that choice based on a good search of the literature... but we have to wear head guards for sparring anyway, so it seems sensible to invest in one that would reduce the chance of impact trauma to the other eye.
I'd look at something like this, the ones without the sides, just a band. This should fit under/with a headguard. I've sold a few, and have a couple here, and they are a pretty solid. https://www.onlineopticiansuk.com/progear-eyeguard...I have recently (after starting the kickboxing) had a condition called posterior vitreous detachment in my right eye (the jelly in your eye shrinks and comes away at the back), it's completely detached now with no retinal complications and so safe (it's the process of coming away that can damage the retina).
There is no published evidence that contact sparring of any sort can lead to/trigger/worsen this, it's primarily age-related... but I do apparently have an increased chance of the same thing happening in the other eye in the next year or two. Being very short-sighted, I do also have thinner retina than the next person, so there is more chance of the retina tearing when it happens.
I'm not here to discuss whether carrying on a contact sport is a good idea or not, I've already made that choice based on a good search of the literature... but we have to wear head guards for sparring anyway, so it seems sensible to invest in one that would reduce the chance of impact trauma to the other eye.
It's entirely your choice but a hi myope participating in that sort of thing is asking for trouble really. I'd challenge the statement about no clincial evidence regarding head contact sports and retinal detachments but there is plenty out there to read should you wish to. PVDs aren't serious but the risk of associated tears, traction and RD are. As a clinician I know what I'd be telling my patients.
DKL said:
I'd look at something like this, the ones without the sides, just a band. This should fit under/with a headguard. I've sold a few, and have a couple here, and they are a pretty solid. https://www.onlineopticiansuk.com/progear-eyeguard...
It's entirely your choice but a hi myope participating in that sort of thing is asking for trouble really. I'd challenge the statement about no clincial evidence regarding head contact sports and retinal detachments but there is plenty out there to read should you wish to. PVDs aren't serious but the risk of associated tears, traction and RD are. As a clinician I know what I'd be telling my patients.
I had a good dig around Pub Med etc. There really didn't seem to be much around risk factors for triggering PVD at all (which I now know is quite common, despite never hearing of it before I got it) and there's enough middle-aged people (ok, mainly blokes) still getting knocked around the head in sports that if there were any causation/positive correlation, it would have been picked up by now?? It simply didn't seem to feature in round-ups of eye problems in contact sports at all.It's entirely your choice but a hi myope participating in that sort of thing is asking for trouble really. I'd challenge the statement about no clincial evidence regarding head contact sports and retinal detachments but there is plenty out there to read should you wish to. PVDs aren't serious but the risk of associated tears, traction and RD are. As a clinician I know what I'd be telling my patients.
If you do know of any studies that show a link, I'd be interested... my choice is made on the above reading I've done; that I'm now pretty sure the PVD has been slowly happening/ongoing for a good while (12-24 months?? Longer than I've been kickboxing, anyway) as I've had many blurry moments that I put down to my contact lens drying out or similar; I'm very aware of the symptoms and now using an Amsler Grid regularly, so if it does start and cause problems in my other eye, I should pick it up quickly; and we're basically points fighting, so no-one's trying to knock me out - that is, I don't get hit very hard!
Also, I cycle on and off road - MTB in particular gives quite a chuck of head bashing potential - I enjoy fitness stuff like that and martial arts... but I do like to consider and minimise risks as far as sensible... I'm not so worried about about bones (... and chicks dig scars) but eyes are harder to fix. However, there's far too much "that's obviously not worth the risk" opinion I can find out there, but very little evidence to back that up.
In the meantime, those safety glasses would obviously stop abrasions from direct contact, but would they spread the load around/away from the eye much when they catch a glove?
I've dug a pair out. They have alot of padding behind the frame which contacts your cheek and brow bones not your eyes so there should be a limited amount of direct contact.
Quite possibly the issue would be the general rattling of the contents, caused by the blow, akin to coup and contrecoup in pathology terms. Yes we all do it sometimes but I've seen a number of RD just from a single bash from cupboard or car doors .
Everyone over 50 will have or be having PVDs it's just that most are asymptomatic. Vitreous shrinking is normal and that causes increased floaters and the odd flash. But underlying all that is the increased risk or tears and RD. I'd not be too concerned by more PVDs but by the law of averages the more of these you have, or the increase in progress of the separation of vitreous face and retina the greater your chance of RD and tears. Add into that the myopia and the general stretch in the retina peripherally as your eyes are large, hence the myopia, then the risk of something more serious increases.
No harm in using an amsler but it's not really relevant for vitreous compromise.
These things are always relative and we all have to take a view on leading our lives as we wish but you do have a number of red flags here.
Quite possibly the issue would be the general rattling of the contents, caused by the blow, akin to coup and contrecoup in pathology terms. Yes we all do it sometimes but I've seen a number of RD just from a single bash from cupboard or car doors .
Everyone over 50 will have or be having PVDs it's just that most are asymptomatic. Vitreous shrinking is normal and that causes increased floaters and the odd flash. But underlying all that is the increased risk or tears and RD. I'd not be too concerned by more PVDs but by the law of averages the more of these you have, or the increase in progress of the separation of vitreous face and retina the greater your chance of RD and tears. Add into that the myopia and the general stretch in the retina peripherally as your eyes are large, hence the myopia, then the risk of something more serious increases.
No harm in using an amsler but it's not really relevant for vitreous compromise.
These things are always relative and we all have to take a view on leading our lives as we wish but you do have a number of red flags here.
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