B-Boy Minnesota Joe – photo by Ryan Brennan
As any fan or experienced dancer understands, there are few athletic activities that require the full range of motion demanded by breakdancing or b-boying. Breakers are literally in constant motion, often hanging partially upside down freezing at all sorts of unnatural angles, rotating at incredible speeds under a lot of force and supporting their bodies with just their arms. Naturally, these motions demand a great deal of strength and flexibility. However, they also demand proper clothing and equipment. Whether it’s finding the right shoes like some of my favourites at Adidas or simply finding the right comfortable clothing that stands up to motion and stretching, breakers have to be concerned about their gear. Part of this could mean finding the right eyewear if you don’t have perfect vision like me 
Nobody who requires corrected vision enjoys going without it, and for athletes of all kinds that means it’s absolutely necessary to find the right eyewear for whatever activity is at hand. Generally speaking, there are three main options (unless you decide to opt for laser corrective eye surgery, which is another debate in itself). These three options are: glasses, contact lenses, and prescription goggles. Here’s a look at how each of these options might suit a b-boy or b-girl.
Glasses
While it’s an incredibly athletic activity and dance form, there is definitely a huge style aspect to b-boying, and for this reason some breakers are reluctant to part with their glasses. You even see some people wearing glasses or (3D cinema glasses with the lenses removed) on nights out now when their eye sight is perfectly fine, just to look cool and style out their appearance! Generally speaking, glasses can be difficult to wear for athletes, particularly those in constant motion – lenses can become obscured by sweat, and glasses can slip out of place or fall off entirely – getting crushed or kicked whilst you’re windmilling – I’ve seen it happen at battles!
Many athletes choose not to risk these hassles if at all possible. On the other hand, however, some breakers have been known to stick with glasses in favour of style, and seem to do just fine with the decision. For example, French breaker B-Boy Lilou is often seen dancing with glasses and has never had an incident. In the end, it just comes down to personal preference and style.
B-Boy Lilou
Contact Lenses
If you don’t want to bother with any sort of physical, exterior lens, contact lenses are the best option. Easily attainable through brands like Acuvue, contacts offer you all the benefits of corrective vision without any of the physical hassle or risk. Some breakers prefer contact lenses simply because they allow completely uninhibited movement and activity. Put it this way – at no point during a dance will you have to worry about your contact lenses getting sweaty or slipping out of your eyes! This flexibility can certainly be valuable, depending on personal style.
Prescription Goggles
If you’d prefer not to wear contacts but you don’t trust glasses to stay in place or remain reliable, prescription goggles are perhaps the best option. Essentially larger and more stable versions of glasses that some athletes make use of, goggles can definitely solve a few problems. However, they do make you look like you’re about to swim a few laps and they have also been known to restrict peripheral vision, which isn’t great when you’re trying to tear up the floor!
“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
Helen Keller
