Balancing Sports

I participated in a yoga class recently, for the first time in a long time, and it was a humbling experience.

Considering that my first basic pose of standing on one leg was a hyper focused balancing act that would have made Carol Burnett proud for the unintended comedy, the veteran “yogi’s” sympathy chords were struck by the newbie in the room.

Still, I persevered, hoping to learn a few tricks that could help me to become a better runner.

I recently attended the SEE IT ALL™ Vancouver Yoga Event hosted by Alcon Canada, held at the top of Grouse Mountain, which offered a stunning view of B.C.’s North Shore Mountains.

What helped in my performance was not only wearing comfortable gear to do the workout, but wearing contact lenses instead of glasses, which would have been a distraction sliding down my nose once I started to sweat.  

I enjoyed the exclusive session taught by Rachel Wainwright, creator of Exhale Yoga Retreats. Since this was my first yoga class, I was excited to learn some poses such as the downward-facing dog, and tree.  

I also learned how to breathe properly which helped me to relax and clearly the key for me was my contact lenses.

Like any activity you do, having sharper vision from comfortable lenses is the key to enjoying your activity longer without having to stop abruptly because of uncomfortable, ill fitted contact lenses or fogged up glasses.

I was able to focus on the one-hour long class, which felt like an excellent workout.

Having healthy vision to perform daily tasks and activities is just as important as choosing the right shoes to wear on the court or on the trail. After the yoga session,

I had the opportunity to learn more about the importance of good eye health from Vancouver-based eye care professional, Dr. Pavan Avinashi, Hollyburn Eye Clinic.

Alcon has a brand of innovative contact lenses, the DAILIES TOTAL1® contact lenses, well suited for those who live an active lifestyle. Dr. Avinashi feels that this brand of contact lenses “…are truly a game changer in our industry.”

He continues, “The first contacts of its kind (are) the water gradient contact lenses that are designed for exceptional comfort for the entire day. They are the ultimate contact lenses that make you feel like you are not wearing lenses at all.”

Also, it is the daily contact lenses that offer a clearer focus that will keep you in the game, whatever your game may be.

Mike Phillion, Director of Marketing, Vision Care at Alcon spoke at the event, highlighting a recent survey of recreational athletes who practice yoga or play recreational sports or just enjoy fitness.

They learned 75 per cent say good clear vision is important for them to achieve their best.

One interesting finding was the majority of these people said that it was more important to have good clear vision than personal strength, or fitness or being able to push the limits.

Vision was the most important thing for these recreational athletes.

90 percent of athletes who wear contact lenses said that comfortable contact lenses also helped them perform at their best.

World Sight Day is coming up on October 11 and is a good reminder to visit your eye care professional.

Contact Christine Blanchette at

Twitter @christineruns

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