Anyone use eye protection?

Re: Re: Anyone use eye protection?

Whoa, thats pretty good. So far this year i've hit the bird into two people's eye already, and i've had my glasses hit quite a few times. One shot even knocked my glasses half-off, while another pushed my glasses' frame down enough for the bird to get stuck between my face and the glasses!

 

I use quality plastic lenses in my eyeglasses and that is sufficient protection for me.

Being careful can reduce any eye injuries. As people have mentioned, never look back at your partner in doubles when the partner is about to hit the bird. You can look back after the shot or before the partner is hitting the bird to see where your partner is positioned so you can reposition yourself. Also, when my partner or I hit a floater, and the opponent (when I know that the opponent can smash) comes up to smash, I chicken out and either back off, so I can take the smash as well as avoid getting hit in the face (but concede the point to the drop shot), or I just look away and concede the point (unless the opponent smashes out and then I can see where the bird hits the floor). When I get a floater, I often smash hard but aim the bird at the open court and not the opponent. I try to smash at a steep angle so that it is very difficult to retrieve and so it won't hit a person. If the person up front is a weak player or begnner, I do not smash the bird (and sometimes end up loosing the point by missing or not killing the bird when the opportunity arises).

With beginners, they may not know how to avoid getting hit and position themselves to get hit. The other day, one of the novice players in the club looked back when her partner was playing the desparate forehand drive to a shot I placed in the corner. He hit her hard in the lip and it was bruised but did not bleed. Lack of court awareness can get people into trouble. Some beginners charge to the front after hitting a floater opening themselves to a smash in the face. In our club, we are kind to beginners and weaker players and do not smash at them (usually). The better players are intermediate, intermediate-advance, and a couple of advance players so we are not all that competitive.

Ron

 

Hmm, I've played badminton for a few years and I haven't gotten a hit in my eye....yet. lol. But I was playing doubles and I became the front person. Then my friend(standing behind me) hit the shuttle against my ear! Wow, it wasn't pain, but I got a terrible shock! Imagine you standing and waiting for your friend to hit the shuttle, next minute, YOW!!!!

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Anyone use eye protection?

Congrats on your luck. Getting hit in the eye almost seems like a rites of passage!

 

Backhand drives

Easiest way of getting hit by your partner is when they're driving a crosscourt backhand (down the line backhands are more difficult to pull off) and you turn around to see where the bird is. OUCH. Forehands allow easier control for down the line drives, and assuming you are standing somewhere near the middle, you'll get a wide berth. Crosscourts are nasty........

 

Hi,

This incident happened to me yesterday. I was playing with a couple of my mates (all club standard, i go there to spar with them) when all of a suden, he missed the shuttle and thought they won the point. I have quick reflexes, so i managed to get to the shuttle to lift it. The thing was though, my partner thought the shuttle had landed and therefore turned to look at the shuttle. I managed to lift it, and because he looked round it went in his eye. He's not a small bloke, but i've never seen anyone hit the floor like he did. Thankfully, no damage, apart from a bloodshot eye, was done.

Matt

 

Well, getting hit in the eye might not happen too often but it only needs to happen once to lose an eye and then your badminton game will never be same assuming you're still playing after that. I wear glasses so I guess I'm somewhat protected provided that I'm always looking at the bird.

 

Yikes, bloodshot eyes?! Poor partner.

 

now i understand why we have another thread "badminton helmet" posted earlier.

I wear colored lens when playing at places with really bright lighting, otherwise, no real eye protection. there are people who wear the racquetball/squash googles and those seem to work fine. Not sure about how competitive people play out there but generally, we try not to hit people, especially at their face. Of course accident happens but situations where you get hit in the face are if you turn around to look at your partner, or you are up at net and your partner clear to mid-court or something. Good way to remedy that, play w/ your racquet in front of your face. or just don't get yourself into the above situations.

 

I can't imagine getting hit in the eye. Ouch! Anyway, my friend always get hit by the shutlle when I play with them cuz they can't hit the shuttle! That day a friend of mine got hit on the head when I gave her a high shuttle. You know, they swing their racquet and miss the shuttle completely. lol.

 

And I thought Joanne was being a meanie by smashing very hard at the head of a beginner. Well, beginners will quicky learn how to hit the shuttlecork properly and advance to advance players.

Ron

 

lol, I'm not mean! Once Haw Yang smashed into a girl's mouth until it bleed.

 

In all the years I've played, I've never seen anyone injured from being hit in the eye with a bird.

There is a greater danger of being hit by your partner's racket in doubles. A friend of mine almost got a broken nose, I've been hit in the chin, and I've hit my partner's hand more than once. If I was able to attach the image, there is a memorable picture from several years ago of national player Dave Ogata showing off the stitches on his scalp after being hit in the head by his partner, no less than US Hall of Famer Jim Poole.

 

I once hit a friend in her stomach with my racquet though........I pity her. It was hard!

 

Using glasses

I decided to start using (neutral) glasses after a shuttle hit me very hard one centimeter below my eye. Does anyone else use glasses for this purpose?

 

By neutral glasses do you mean like normal spectacles? I wouldnt wear them for badminton in case they got hit and damaged.
I wouldnt worry about damaging your eyes because considering the speed the shuttle will be going by the time it gets to you in most places, there wont be a problem. And if you do get caught at the net, look away or cover your face with the head.

 

he means glasses with no correction, just for eye protection. I suppose if u wear them and they are actually strong enough, you can try to react to kills rather than just turning away. i wear correcting glasses, and i still turn away since we are just playing recreationally.