Sports Eye Safety

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has announced April is Sports Eye Safety Month. The AAO estimates that 100,000 people are affected by sports-related eye injuries each year. Almost 13,500 injuries end in everlasting blindness. The good news is that most sports-related injuries can be prevented. No matter what sports you are practicing, how old you are, or what level of professionalism you play, you need to be aware of proper eye protection. If eye protection is common among young people, it is less common and rarely employed among children and teens. Sports activities are very important to kids to build their personality and the spirit of teamwork. However, a sports-related injury could jeopardize the kid’s health and development as well and leave him with a psychological damage that may last for years if not forever.

Sports-related eye injuries can vary from abrasions or corneal scratches, lid bruises, black eye, orbital fracture, internal eye bleeding, retinal detachments, and total blindness. Injuries are most frequent in baseball, basketball, ice hockey, football, tennis, swimming, water polo, soccer, handball, cycling, and other racket sports as well as in sports with physical contact. Eye Protection for Sports Eye Safety ranges from safety goggles to helmets. They have special requirements for fit and design that do not obstruct eyesight or impede the quality of eyesight and visual field. Materials requirements include durability, softness, weightlessness, comfort, impact resistance (that meet American Standards for Testing and Materials ASTM), and non-allergenic. In some sports wearing helmets with a grid does not prevent an opponent’s finger from reaching to the eyes. Therefore, additional Safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses are required.

Optometrists should inform athletes and parents of the availability of comprehensive exams and visits for sports-related eye injury prevention. During the visit, the Optometrist informs the patient how to protect eyes, what type of equipment is available and what are its limits, as well as how to perform better in sports activities without having to jeopardize his eye health and the health of others. What’s more important is to inform the patient that a comprehensive eye test is always needed in case an accident occurred and an emergency room is required.