Why Do Some Paralympians Wear Eye Masks During Competition?

While attending the Paralympic track events this week in Paris, I couldn't help but clock that some of the runners' uniforms included an eye covering, some of which almost looked like a sleep mask or blindfold. And it's not just the Para Athletics track events where these coverings made an appearance. Athletes were wearing them while playing blind football, goalball, and more.

My curiosity led to me looking into why Paralympians who are blind or low vision sometimes wear eyeshades while competing, and the answer was both more straightforward and more complex than I'd expected.

As it turns out, these eye masks are all about leveling the playing field, so to speak, and creating a more fair competition. That's because there's a range of vision impairment among the qualifying para competitors — some are blind while others have differing levels of low vision. Eyeshades ensure all athletes have equitable visual acuity during competition.

That said, according to the official Olympics website, there is some variance on these rules, depending on the event. Currently, athletes who are blind or low vision can compete in the following Paralympic events: track & field, triathlon, cycling, equestrian, football (soccer), goalball, judo, rowing, sailing, and swimming. And the rules for who's required to wear eye coverings, and when, varies by sport.

For instance, with blind football (soccer), all outfield players must be classified as B1 (defined as very low visual acuity and/or no light perception, per the Paris 2024 site) and wear eyeshades. However, the goalkeeper can be fully sighted or partially sighted (a B2 or B3 classification) and doesn't need to wear anything over the eyes. Whereas in goalball, all athletes must wear eyeshades, including the goalkeeper.

Blackout goggles are also required for para swimming, but only for races in the S/SB11 sport class (athletes with extremely low visual acuity and/or no light perception).

As far as Para Athletics, the sport that includes running, jumping, and throwing events, only T11 and F11 class athletes are required to wear eye coverings, including gauze patches and opaque glasses or an equivalent substitute, according to the World Para Athletics Rules and Regulations. The coverings must be worn for the athlete's entire event, and if they don't — even if the covering falls off accidentally — the athlete will be disqualified.

So, Paralympians' eye masks serve a functional purpose, and are taken very seriously by the events' rules. However, that hasn't stopped some athletes from leveraging them to make a statement. Paralympics competitors from all over the globe have been donning creative eyeshades, some with feathers or funky patterns, others with images that celebrate their home country. It's always fun to see the athletes add some personal flair to their uniforms — even if the competitors are moving so fast, you almost miss it.

Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at Mindbodygreen and the fitness and wellness editor at Women's Health. Kristine's work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men's Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.