Sports
Safety
From major league stadiums to small-town courts, America’s favorite pastimes
make great memories for many. But
for more than 40,000 athletes, those memories are ruined by eye injuries,
the vast majority of which were preventable. Sadly, the majority of victims
are children, too many of whom suffer permanent visual impairment. Children
can end up with injuries ranging from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of
the lids to internal eye injuries such as retinal detachments and internal
bleeding. Unfortunately, some of these athletes end up with permanent vision
loss and blindness.
For young athletes, baseball and basketball account for the largest number of injuries. Little League pitchers may throw the ball up to 70 mph - fast enough to break bones and do serious damage to the eye. In basketball, you can't prevent contact with flying elbows and fingers, but the serious eye injuries they can cause can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective eyewear. Many other popular sports, such as tennis, soccer, football, golf, water sports, and hockey also put unprotected players at risk for serious eye injury.
In
recognition of Sports Eye Safety Month, the Division
of Blind Services urge all athletes to wear appropriate protective eyewear.
Studies have shown that by wearing the right protective eyewear, more than
90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented. Specific eyewear is available
for just about all activities. Your Eye M.D. can recommend the appropriate
eyewear for your sport. Most protective eyewear, including goggles, face
shields and guards should be made of polycarbonate plastic. Protective
eyewear must be properly fitted by an eye care professional. Regular street
glasses and contacts do not offer enough protection for sports.
It's up to parents to ensure their children wear eye protection when they
play sports. Many children's sports leagues, schools, and teams don't
require children to wear eye protection.
Parents must insist that children
wear eye protection every time they play and set a good example by wearing
eye protection themselves whenever they play. One-eyed
athletes need to be especially careful by wearing eye protection at all
times during sport and recreational activities. There's no evidence that
wearing eye protection hampers athletic performance. Many famous athletes,
including NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and NFL Hall of Famer Eric
Dickerson, have excelled in their respective sports while wearing protective
eyewear. The long-term benefits of playing sports are clear, but sports are
the leading cause of eye injuries in children. So, until mandatory eye
protection comes to your child's sporting league, it’s up to you to lobby
for and protect your young athlete. Whatever your game, whatever your age,
protect your eyes with appropriate protective eyewear.
To learn more about sports safety go to Prevention of Blindness Sports Eye Safety page. The site recommends specific eye protectors based on the type of sport, offers tips on buying sports eye safety protectors, and has a short quiz on sports eye safety.