Sports Eye Safety Month
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Each year, an estimated 100,000 people are hurt by sports-related eye injuries. About 13,500 of these injuries result in permanent vision loss. In support of Sports Eye Safety Month this April, EYE-Q reminds athletes everywhere that the great majority of sports-related eye injuries can be avoided by simply wearing the proper protection.
Sports eye injuries occur most frequently in basketball, baseball, and racquet sports, but below is a list of other sports where proper protective eyewear is equally as important.
- Softball
- Paintball
- Mountain biking
- Hockey
- Fencing
- Soccer
- Football
- Golf
- Badminton
- Tennis
The majority of sports-related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing proper eye protection. Here are a few tips:
- Regular frames and lenses do not provide the best sports eye protection, but sports glasses and goggles, coupled with polycarbonate or Trivex lens materials, are more appropriate. Polycarbonate and Trivex are impact-resistant lens materials that additionally have 100 percent ultraviolet protection. Sport frames can also accommodate both prescription and nonprescription lenses.
- For best protective assurance, your sport’s frames should have “ASTM F803” markings on them. This means it has been performance tested by the American Society of Testing and Materials to ensure it provides the highest level of protection.
- Sport’s goggles must properly fit the individual wearer. There is often the temptation to get something bigger for children to grow into it; however, without a proper fit, the protection maybe compromised.
If you experience an eye injury you should see an eye doctor immediately to assess the damage to your eye and receive proper treatment.
To learn more about sports eye safety, click https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries-sports.