Just as fans began to get used to seeing Anthony Davis in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, they’ll have to get used to something else new.
Davis’ first full season in Dallas will be complete with a new facial accessory, as fans will notice that he is wearing a pair of Oakley glasses during games. As one might surmise, the glasses are not for style, though Oakley does have a stylish reputation.
Rather than wearing frames for stylistic purposes, Davis’ eyewear is a modern version of iconic looks that were employed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Horace Grant, among others.
Here is more on Davis’ protective lenses and why he’s wearing them.
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Why is Anthony Davis wearing goggles?
Davis is wearing goggles as a protective measure for an injury he suffered late in the 2024-25 season.
He debuted the look in his first-ever preseason game with the Mavericks.
The protective glasses will be a mainstay in Davis’ in-game ensemble for the remainder of his career, as ordered by doctors. He said, “There’s really no adjustment,” when asked about the frames.
“Nowadays, they don’t fall down. They are pretty tight,” Davis added. “I guess the adjustment is having something on my face. I’m used to being able to do whatever I want.”
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Anthony Davis eye injury
Davis suffered a detached retina in his right eye late on April 2, 2025.
He sustained the injury after he was on the receiving end of an errant elbow from teammate Daniel Gafford. Davis underwent an offseason procedure to repair the detached retina in July 2025.
A detached retina occurs when the retina separates from the underlying tissue in the eye. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Dr. Richard Toyos, a Tennessee ophthalmologist, explained the intricacies of the injury to The Athletic, saying that the recovery process from a detached retina depends on whether the macula, which is responsible for a person’s central vision, is affected.
“There is the peripheral retina, which is responsible for some vision. And then, there’s the macula,” Toyos said. “That’s the portion of the retina that’s responsible for the most vision and the sharpest part of your vision.”
Macula-on retinal detachments typically require surgery within 24 hours, while macula-off retinal detachments don’t need immediate surgery.
