April is Sports Eye Safety Month! If you play sports, it’s important to know about eye safety! According to Prevent Blindness, more than 25,000 people seek treatment for sports-related eye injuries each year. The good news is that most of these injuries are preventable. Different activities and sports have different levels of risk for eye injury. Safety glasses and protective headwear can significantly reduce the risk of eye injuries. Keep these safety tips in mind to keep your eyes protected.
Wear Eye Protection
What Sports Have A Higher Risk For Eye Injuries?
According to the AAO, basketball causes the most sports eye injuries in the U.S. Most of these injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. The correct protective eyewear is the best defense against eye injury for many sports, particularly for sports that don’t require helmets or face guards, like basketball, racquet sports, soccer, and field hockey.
I Wear Glasses or Contacts. Do I Need Protective Eyewear?
Yes, athletes who wear contact lenses or glasses should also wear appropriate sports eyewear. Contacts offer no protection, and your everyday glasses could shatter from an impact. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends protective eyewear for any sport even for children who don’t wear glasses or contacts.
Sports glasses with shatterproof plastic should be worn for protection while playing sports. Protective eyewear should be made from shatterproof polycarbonate material. We offer multiple styles of protective eyewear in youth and adult sizes.
Always Have First Aid Available
If an eye injury does occur while playing a sport, it’s important to see a medical doctor or an eye care professional as soon as possible. An eye injury may not be immediately obvious. School sporting events or other organized sports events should have a medical tent or staff nearby to treat injuries. If you do not have the first aid equipment, make sure someone has the knowledge to perform first aid. Eye injuries often require emergency medical care, but a first aid kit can help stabilize the injury. Learn more about common eye injuries and first aid tips from the AAO.
See Your Eye Doctor Regularly
Annual eye exams are the best way to stay on top of your vision health. Scheduling an eye exam every year is important for catching conditions that would otherwise go undiagnosed. If you are unsure of what eye protection is needed, our optometrists can help pick the correct eye gear to keep you playing at your best.