So is this the end of my varsity officiating days?
 

I have been officiating for about 20 years now and do girls and boys HS V and sub V games (usually double headers each night) as often as I want - usually 3-4 nights a week. I have been wearing contact lenses off and on since 1988. Lately I have been having problems with my eyes and the use of contacts and finally the doctor said the best thing I can do is to go back to glasses since the irritation isn't worth it.

I know that glasses are typically frowned upon at the Varsity level (although I have never heard anyone in our association say anything about them) so I am wondering if this means I am going to be dropped from the Varsity roles now? I have called some V games wearing glasses when my eyes were bothering me and I had no issues and a couple of times an evaluator was there and didn't say a word. Maybe it isn't that big of a deal here but not sure. BTW, I have no desire to go to the college level where I know glasses are basically a show stopper for officials.

BTW, LASIK isn't an option for me (long story). I haven't spoken to my assigner yet since I just found this out. Oh well I guess I can always become table personnel - doesn't take much skill :D

How do the associations you belong to feel about officials with glasses?

My regular partner wears glasses 100% of the time. And he works as much as he wants.

Not everyone's eyes can take contacts. Not everyone's vision can be corrected with contacts.

Personally, I thought this line of thinking was pretty much dead.

For the high school level this is not as big of a deal. It is preferred to not wear glasses? Of course it is, but like anything else there are always exceptions and I doubt a deal breaker. I do not run into many officials period that wear glasses in basketball. But there is a guy that worked a State Final several years ago and is one of the most well known officials. At the college level I think this would be a near deal breaker.

Peace

At a higher level, I would agree. I'm sure there are D3 officials, though, wearing glasses.

I am sure there are somewhere, I have yet to see them. And certainly do not see them at the camps I have attended. Even the one I attend in Wisconsin on the Madison campus.

Peace

I doubt it will matter much as you are an established officials. Showing up with glasses isn't going to change the perception others have developed over the many years....at least not right away. I'm sure you've got many good years left in you.

I concur with the others. While there are very few HS officials here with glasses we have some, and they do just fine.

Hope you get to call another 20 yrs and YOU decide when its time to hangem up!

Wearing glasses has always been a non-factor here. It doesn't matter how you can see; it matters that you can see.

I wear glasses during the day b/c I do a lot of reading and it helps with my eyes. I make it a point to leave them in the car b4 I go into any game. Of course the great thing about WEARING glasses is it eliminates the "Ref You Need Glasses" heckle!
As for LASIK you may have really looked into it, but there are other options out there other then LASIK that produce the same results. If you haven't looked into them, it may be worth your while, if you HAVE looked into it....well insert "look" comment in "glasses" thread here!:D

I have two varsity games tonight (girls and boys) and will be wearing my glasses. I am about 99% sure there will be an observer/evaluator there (we are nearing playoff time so they are evaluating the officials more right now) so will see how it goes.

It was more of an issue where I used to officiate than it is where I now officiate.

Robbie, just wonder if the irritation is so bad that you can't pop the contacts in just for the game and get by wearing them until afterwards then switch back to your glasses?? I'm in the same boat in a way. On nights I have a game, like today, I will wear my glasses during work to lessen the hours the contacts are in. That way my eyes feel more "fresh" during the game, especially at the end. I'm sure your eye doctor has also suggested any means of controlling the irritation, including saline drops, etc or even taking fish oil supplements (yes it works) to help produce your natural tearing that sometimes leaves us at "our" age. Another thing that bothers me is some of the lighting in gyms that were built about 10 years ago, using some type of florescent bulbs that actually make the court seem dingy...hate those gyms. A few newer ones around here have excellent metal halide fixtures that really brighten up the place and make vision so much better. Good luck, hope you can stick with it no matter what you do.

I wear no-line bifocals, but I use them mainly for night driving and computer work and extended reading. I leave them in the car (I left them at the school once and learned my lesson).

I would hate sweating into a pair of glasses and worrying that they were going to fall off my head. I'm not a long-time glasses wearer, though. My regular partner wears his and it doesn't bother him.

Just call your game.....
 

What do you expect the evaluation to say. Good official but can't move on because he wears glasses?

Break a leg and kick a$$!

While I could see the impression of a rising official possibly dropping due to this; I can't imagine an established official getting dinged for it.

The technologies change rapidly for corrective surgery. If you haven't been evaluated in the last couple years, you might try again to see whether it is now an option for you. I had mine done 3 years ago after 30 years of glasses & contacts, and have been delighted with the results.

I can't believe it would be an issue; if it is I think that is pretty pathetic. I have always worn glasses because I dislike contacts and I work varsity games, as do many other guys who wear glasses. I do wear contacts when I do baseball but that's only because I hate wearing a mask over top of my glasses. I know many baseball umpires who wear glasses too. If you can work a good game why should it matter? I do understand that expectations and "unwritten rules" differ depending on where you live.

Don Rutledge, former NCAA official with many final fours and regionals, wore glasses late in his career. Not always, but I did see him in a few tournament games with them on.

For me, I would have to quit hoops. Unless someone came up with a wiper mechanism for glasses as I sweat profusely. Even with a headband and bandana, when I mow the yard, my glasses get wet within a few minutes.

I don't sweat that much on the court so that isn't an issue.

Thought I would find out tonight how things would go but the game got postponed until Thursday due to a leak developing in the roof - it is pouring rain here.

Guess will find out Thursday night ;)