Sports are to Enjoy, Not to Injure Your Eyes

If you or your child engage in sports, think about eye protection. During a game a simple mistake could take a fraction of a second to happen but could result in a lifetime of vision loss. Some sports are at a higher risk of eye injury than others.
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While bruises and even broken bones suffered while playing a sport normally heal without major complications a serious eye injury is different. It may cause permanent disabilities and an inability to perform essential life functions. To lessen the chances of a serious eye injury while your child plays a sport he or she should wear eye protection. According to the National Eye Institute,
  • Eye injuries are the top cause of blindness in children in the US.
  • Most eye injuries to school age children happen while playing sports.
  • These injuries result in about 100,000 physician visits annually, at a price of more than $175 million.
  • 90% of sports related eye injuries could’ve been prevented if proper protective eyewear was worn.
  • This includes safety glasses, goggles, safety shields and eye guards.
  • Sunglasses, prescription glasses and contact lenses won’t protect against eye injuries. Safety goggles should be worn over them.
Many youth sports leagues don’t mandate eye protection for their players. Parents and coaches should make sure children wear safety glasses when they play. Protective sports eyewear is normally made of polycarbonate, which is ten times stronger than other plastics and it won’t affect the player’s vision. If a child wears prescription glasses or uses contact lenses, protective eyewear can be made to match their prescriptions. Sports to be concerned about include,
  • Baseball: Players should wear faces guards, eye goggles or guards.
  • Basketball: Players should use eye goggles at all times to prevent an elbow or finger of another player, or even the ball, from hitting the child’s eye.
  • Soccer and football: An elbow, ball, foot or finger can seriously injure an unprotected eye. Players need to wear eye guards. In football, a full-face guard should be used.
  • Field hockey: Players should use eye guards to prevent eye injuries caused by being hit by the ball or another player’s stick.
  • Hockey: Sticks, pucks and elbows can hit a player’s eyes. A child should use a full polycarbonate face guard or wire mask to avoid eye and facial injuries.
  • Lacrosse: Teams normally mandate eye guards for girls and helmets with wire masks for boys.
  • Tennis or racquetball: To prevent a ball from striking a tennis player’s eye and to prevent a ball or racquetball racquet from causing eye injuries, protective eye goggles should be worn at all times.
If your child competitively swims he or she probably spends a lot of time in pools. Though the chances of being struck in the eye are low, swim goggles may reduce the risk of your child suffering an eye infection due to exposure to pool water. If you have questions about how your eyesight, or the vision of your child, should be protected when playing sports, contact the Lehigh Valley Center for Sight at 610-437-4988 or fill out our contact form so we can start the conversation and work together to protect your sight. Houman Ahdieh, MD Lehigh Valley Center for Sight https://www.lvcenter4sight.com eyedoc@lvcenter4sight.com

https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/sports-are-to-enjoy-not-to-injure-your-eyes/

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