Can I Box With Bad Eyesight?

Having bad eyesight might “look” like huge obstacle for getting good at boxing, but it isn’t as bad as some people think. Sure, you might not be able to some things the best, but overall it shouldn’t be much of a barrier to learning a lot of it.

Many of the training can be done even having not the best eyesight in the world such as hitting the heavy bag, pads, speed bag and such, but when it comes down to sparring and fighting, things can get more problematic.

The harsh reality

Depending on how bad is your eyesight, it can all dictate whether or not you could officially fight in one place or another and the only person who can answer you that question is your doctor.

He can also determine if you can get punched in the face to begin with, as having problems with vision and also fighting can increase the chance of getting other disorders like retinal detachment.

How much it all really matters

Being nearsighted isn’t generally as bad as being farsighted for a boxer because most of the action still happens in a relatively close range, although even that doesn’t matter much as there’s not much fine print to read during a bout.

As long as you’re able correctly gauge the distance between you and your opponent, see the incoming punches and read his body language, you should be good to spar at least in your own gym.

If your goal is to really strive for the best and eventually reach pros, you might consider getting PRK vision correction surgery.

Can i use contacts?

Contacts can be worn during any sort of boxing training, but you might consider not having them on when sparring or fighting as they can dislodge from your eyes after getting hit, or get pushed in deeper.

When it comes down to glasses you can really wear them pretty much at any time except during a fight.

Tips for fighting with bad eyesight

When fighting, focus on doing so more inside the pocket as you probably see better up close.

Assuming that your doctor recommends you to not get hit in the face, you might want to try asking your opponents if they’ll let you “spar” them, but without them hitting you back. It’s not as good as the real thing, but it’s better than nothing!