Prescription glasses for TaeKwonDo?

Lami39

Hi. I'm hoping someone here might have knowledge or experience in this area as it seems to be a first for my son's TaeKwonDo instructor. My son is 8 years old and wears glasses. He takes these off for sparring but he is really unable to see properly and as a result his sparring is sloppy and he is nervous as he can't see properly (he has quite a strong prescription and significant astigmatisms). I want to get him prescription goggles that will sit comfortably under his head-gear. His TKD Master has sent out an email to other instructors asking if they've had any experience of anyone using goggles for sparring but has not yet had a reply. Before I spend the best part of 200 euro I just want to make sure I do my research and choose the right thing for my son. He is very very dedicated to the sport and has been doing it for 3 years and is interested in competing but without being able to see properly at sparring time, he may not be able to compete in sparring which will upset him. Any ideas please? I've googled but not found anything particularly helpful. Thank you. Lami39

paulmclaughlin

How about contact lenses?

Lami39

I'm afraid he's too young for contacts, he's only 8.

optician

who said 8 was too young for contacts?
new born babies with aphakia can be fitted with contacts so an 8 year old can too. you just need to find an optician who is willing to fit them.

i am retired now but i would have no problem as long as the parents were present at the teaching process and i was comfortable that the parents were able to take out and put in the lenses are were responsible for the care of the lenses.

antybots

I wore glasses for years and I did TKD for years and I can't see how you are going to get any glasses or contacts that are safe for sparring. Headgear won't stop a straight punch that could move a contact lense or break some glasses. I think you are taking a risk even using the headgear that has the face guard.You might have to forbid any kicking or punching to the head to be truly safe.

Lami39

I feel 8 is way too young for contacts. I myself won't wear them and would not be at all comfortable helping my son to use them. Besides, I agree with antybots, I feel they would be more, not less, dangerous for sparring in a child who is only learning.

Antyobts, I accept completely what you're saying - but there is risk involved in sparring regardless. This is a children's class so accidents are more likely than in an adult class who have better judgement. However, I want him to be able to participate fully and the best I can do is minimise the risk. The risk is minimised if he can judge the kicks/punches better than if he can't see them coming which is the current situation. When I spar with him at home he wears his glasses and has very good reflexes and is good at blocking because he can see better.

I spoke to a different instructor last night who knows someone who wears the goggles and he's going to get some more information for me. Thank you all for taking the time to reply and share your views. It is greatly appreciated as this is new territory for me and the more info I have the better prepared I am for the right decision.

Lami39

Charlie3dan

I would re-consider the contact lense option if I were you. I wouldn't imagine he'll be too crazy about wearing big goggles for sparring anyway but I could be wrong.

I use the daily disposables for sparring and competition and never have any issues.

Lami39

Charlie3dan, the difference is you're an adult with all the fine motor skills required to handle contact lenses. Trust me when I say, my son is not the most natural when it comes to learning new skills - it takes a huge amount of time. He's still learning how to master tying his belt for his dobuk! There is no way he would be able for the dexterity required in inserting and removing contact lenses. Nor, I suspect, will he be too wild about the 'feeling' of them in his eyes. I just don't think contacts are the way to go, not at 8 years of age. He is also aware that I am looking into goggles for him and is fine with that idea. Being different or standing out doesn't bother him at all.

Charlie3dan

Fairenoughski.
Hope he gets sorted with the goggles then.

Sid_Justice

I think you should be speaking with your optician rather than martial arts instructors. The type of 'prescription lens' sports goggles used in squash would be fine for your son in my opinion. Not perfect and not completely fool proof but contact in TKD shouldn't be that hard especially in the under 10s.

Not to beat a dead dog but you can get contact lenses that would account for astigmatism and short-sightedness, if it's a matter of putting them on twice a week before TKD class, I think it's something you can genuinely consider, especially if his vision problems are having such a strong effect on his performance.

Do you expect your sons eye sight problems to change as he grows older? Just wondering if buying goggles now only for him to out grow them in terms of size or vision correction might be very expensive. Contact lenses would be cheaper to change adjust.

If this was amateur boxing, I don't think your son would be allowed to participate due to his vision problems, if he's in a sparring class where he's getting hit in the head a lot, whether due to vision problems or not I would begin to rethink the entire striking martial art thing.

I can appreciate that changing martial arts seems daunting and may upset your son a lot but sports like Judo and grappling would be considerably less biased against people with bad vision problems. There's even judo in the para-Olympics for legally blind people.

I just TKD is one of those sports where the kids are just naturally agile, nifty and fast etc. are at an big advantage. I've never seen a programme turn someone who started off really bad at it get really good at it, just for you to consider sometimes forcing a square plug in a round hole is the wrong way to go.

BostonB

They have prescription goggles in squash don't they?

http://www.sports-sunglasses-eyewear.co.uk/html/tac-3_rx_sports_eyewear.html

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20179&page=3

BostonB

That link also talks about different styles of martial arts which might suit better. I dunno anything about it. Its kinda interesting though.

Doug Cartel

It might be worth checking the rule book to make sure you are allowed to wear goggles. There may be a ban against wearing anything with hard parts.

Lami39

Thank you all for your input. I take on board what you're saying about the martial art itself. His instructor (who is a Master with 36 years experience) is very happy with his progress and his utter determination to train, train, train and shows great advancement even though he's not as naturally athletic as other kids in the class. For us at the moment, this is what counts, that my son is enjoying it and rising to the challenge presented with the new skills at each stage. His instructor is also wondering about the safety aspect of the goggles which is why we are looking at it together (and now this other instructor is talking to someone who actually uses them and is to get back to me). Safety is paramount, if the goggles don't work then we will have to look at other options. I honestly never ever considered that contacts would be suitable for a child. I have an utter phobia about them myself but if his opthamologist tells me that they're safe for use and would be the best option then I will get over it and help him put them in twice week (and take them out again!).

This is why I posted. I was convinced there was only one avenue and I couldn't find anyone in the 'real world' who had faced this set of circumstances so thank you for giving more information to consider that I can now go forward and discuss with his opthamologist. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to post and pointing out other avenues for exploration.

Lami39

smacl

BostonB wrote: »

They have prescription goggles in squash don't they?

I tried a pair of these for martial arts sparring a few years back, and didn't much like them. Too much restriction on peripheral vision which is very important sparring, and still sore enough after multiple knocks to the head. I think they're more about protecting you for the very occasional impact rather than regular knocks.

Lami39

smacl, thanks for that. I wondered about the peripheral vision as well. However, at the stage he's at, I'm hoping they'll be enough to get him by until he's ready for contacts. He's actually got quite good reflexes when ispar with him at home! So I'm hoping that better vision will enable him to protect himself from knocks to the face!!!! I don't know, it's a tough one. Will consult his opthamologist as well and see what his view is. Thank you for sharing your experience though - it's an expensive mistake to make if I go ahead with them and they don't work, hence all the research!

grosser

Hi lami, I used to teach tkd and i wear glasses myself but am not familar with anyone wearing googles for sparring. If they have any hard parts especially around the eye socket I would suggest not buying them, this is becasue if your son is wearing them and he gets hit in that area it could cause damage to his eye and the socket.I understand that tkd is obviously somehting your son likes, but theres alot more to it than just sparring.
Anyway i haver s suggestion that may help. Have you considered saftety glasses that are used in airsoft and other ballistic sports.They can take optical inserts based on a specific prescrioption and cost about twenty five for the galsses and 40 to 50 for the lenses.

http://www.airsofteire.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=752&category_id=83&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26

Lami39

Grosser, thank you so much for that link! I'll investigate those immediately. His instructor is exactly worried about what you suggested, a possible contact to the face and the goggles causing damage. It's great to hear from someone who knows the sport. I understand sparring is only one part of it, but I don't want him to have to miss out on any part of TKD. He is bound and determined to be a black belt some day and he won't settle for being anything less than the best he can be which is why we're doing our best for him in this one aspect. Thank you so much again.

Lami39

grosser

Glad to be of help Lami.Let me know how it worls out.

laoch na mona

i do tae kwon do its a great sport to learn and it really helps with confidence would there not be a danger of him getting hit in the goggles with a punch (i say punch because i doubt a kick from a eight year old would be overly strong) it cud hurt him and the other person
that said i wish you look

grosser

Hey i just checked my own pair. peripheral vision is limited somewhat. However,his peripherals are already limited without corredctd vision plus headgear. I tried an easy impact test. i reckon they could def help, at least till he gets to the age for contacts.
As my current instructor would say its only a training modifier, if he can spar well with poor vision, when its corrected he;ll be unstoppable.

Good luck

Lami39

Grosser, thanks for doing the test!!! I had accepted that his peripheral vision would be a bit limited with goggles, but as you say, it will still be miles better than what he's currently experiencing at this point.

Laoch na mona, in Tae Kwon Do, they are not supposed to punch (or kick) anywhere near the eyes so he and his opponent should be okay. In any event I'll be getting his instructor to approve everything so we'll see what he says.

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted on how we get on.

Lami39

ants09

hi may be stupit but what about headgear with a protective shield covering his face ?

somebody use to use one yrs ago in a club i trained in would mean he can wear his glasses sparring