Any pro fighters here that can chime in on this?
I have impaired vision, but not as bad as many others that I know.
I feel like he obviously has kinda fucked up eyesight as he wore those glasses during the vlogs up to the fight and walking to the cage.
Always wondered about this. Any fighters here that wear contacts or have eyeglasses?
How do you deal with it on fight night? Contacts in the ring?
I was wondering the same thing. But as a contact user I also feel like the first punch to the head would knock your contacts out, considering just an eyelash can fuck your shit up. My uncorrected vision is 20/350, so in my case I would have no choice but to wear them. Seems like a major liability.
In for answers
Near sighted? Maybe he has trouble seeing longer distances but is able to see in the ring fine?
I was thinking about that too. He's probably nearsighted, and you're not supposed to wear contacts while fighting.
I am nearsighted and i always wore my contacts anyway, Which is probably dumb.
Whats weird is they have come out quite a few times sparring, but never in a fight.
Charles Oliveira does the same, I believe.
Ozamataz Buckshank -I was wondering the same thing. But as a contact user I also feel like the first punch to the head would knock your contacts out, considering just an eyelash can fuck your shit up. My uncorrected vision is 20/350, so in my case I would have no choice but to wear them. Seems like a major liability.
I have an issue with my left eye because my contact came out during sparring, and my partner was a dick and blasted me in the eye after I backed up and said my contact fell out. Nobody was getting ready for a fight or anything, just two fat fucks were new to striking. That shit happened over 4 years ago and last week my optometrist said I still have scar tissue built up around the back of my eye. I couldn’t imagine how tough that would be for an actual fighter. I wonder how bad Smith’s vision is?
Wait..I never thought about this. How can you even consider being a professional MMA fighter without Lasek?
oranos -Wait..I never thought about this. How can you even consider being a professional MMA fighter without Lasek?
I thought lasik was a bad choice because of the flap the that the procedure created?
Contact wearer now, but in my boxing days it was glasses. My vision is fucked enough that when I wake up, I need to squint a bit to bring the alarm clock next to my bed in focus. Having said that, I boxed without glasses and didn't have trouble other than the fact I sucked at boxing.
As a contact wearer, noway in hell would I fight in them, especially not in a fight at that level for a championship, and fuck no would I even spar someone as notorious for eye pokes as Jones in them. I've actually blinked and dislodged a contact before and have had them like fold up and go under the bottom eyelid area.... sucks ass even when not being poked and punched.
Way back in the day, I learned that Bas Rutten always wore contacts while fighting. Same with Dave Menne. Even seen adjusting or replacing them between rounds. It kind of surprised me that guys would try to fight with contacts in while getting punched and kicked around your eyes and getting blood and sweat in there, but if you need them to see, being in a fight is a damn good time to have them.
Kongo did it a few times I think
I wear contacts and a times I fought and nobody ever mentioned anything. a few other times Dr's would tell me to remove the lenses in my prefight exam. eventually I realised they never came back to look again so I would just leave them in. My contacts would ALWAYS roll up into my eyelids during a fight. But I never felt it til afterwards, I would just notice my vision went to shit. One time I got a bad cut on my eyelid and the Dr who told me to take my contacts out saw I left it in when he examined the cut. He gave me a "stern talking to" and that was about it.
There was a fighter in the UFC a few years ago who lost his contact during the fight and he tried to call a timeout to put it back in and the ref wouldn't let him. I couldn't believe he wanted to put it back in after hitting the mat...
Ozamataz Buckshank -I was wondering the same thing. But as a contact user I also feel like the first punch to the head would knock your contacts out, considering just an eyelash can fuck your shit up. My uncorrected vision is 20/350, so in my case I would have no choice but to wear them. Seems like a major liability.
I wear contacts and this happened to me once during sparring. Luckily it’s the only time. You’re right it does seem like a serious liability, I would assume a fighter has to deal with unless or until they can afford corrective surgery.
It has happened playing basketball too, an elbow to the face or even just colliding with somebody in the right way can do the job. I lost both contacts once when an elbow broke my nose. I’d imagine being a fighter is the best excuse to get LASIK :)
Spidermonkey -oranos -Wait..I never thought about this. How can you even consider being a professional MMA fighter without Lasek?
I thought lasik was a bad choice because of the flap the that the procedure created?
This is correct. Anyone who does any sort of contact sports should be getting PRK if they are smart. Costs more and has longer recovery, but totally worth it on the long run.