The American Academy of Ophthalmology funds Sports Eye Safety Month. The goal of this movement is to educate and promote awareness about the prevention and treatment of sports eye injuries. Although you may not think of these as common injuries, over 30,000 sports-related eye injuries are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year. This means that an E.R. treats a sports-related eye injury every 13 minutes. The good news, however, is that 90% of serious eye injuries could be prevented by wearing the appropriate protective eyewear.
Those who participate in outdoor sports involving projectiles are at the biggest risk of eye injury. Sports like basketball, baseball, and racquet sports have been found to cause blunt injuries, corneal abrasions, and penetrating injuries. Ensuring proper vision while having proper eye protection for the sport is what keeps you safe and prevents more serious injury. It is also important to know that different activities have different levels of risk for eye injury and require the use of the right kind of eye protection for each activity. For example, racquet sports like squash may require the use of plastic glasses while field sports like lacrosse or football need wired cages or helmets. Before playing a sport, be aware of the equipment regulations because regular eyeglasses and sunglasses do not offer proper protection and can make the injury worse if they shatter.
If you do think you have injured your eye due to the presence of eye pain during or after a game, seek immediate care from an ophthalmologist or primary care physician. If you already have reduced vision in one eye, consider the risk of injuring your other eye before participating in a high-risk sport.
To learn more about sports eye safety and how to protect yourself and others when participating in physical activity and sports, visit: https://nationaltoday.com/sports-eye-safety-month/.
DII is your partner in sports and eye safety. Our team of experts can work with you to understand the risks of sports and find the proper equipment to protect you. Please contact your DII representative for more information. #SportsEyeSafetyMonth
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