Protection from Sports Eye Injuries

Eye Injuries in Sports are Happening

It’s safe to presume that all outdoor sports that we play require a ball and focused vision. This can also lead to a lot of sports eye injuries if we do nothing to prevent it. Summer is the prime season for many ball sports such as baseball, soccer, golf, water polo, tennis, and racquetball. These sports needs a lot of concentrating, aiming, and precision. Many severe pain and damages to your eyes in the US are sports-related, especially the ones occurring to children in school. Fortunately, 90% of these sports eye injuries are preventable if you are using the correct eye protection.

High-Risk Sports for the Eyes

Lucky for us, hard-hitting sports like football, lacrosse, and hockey utilize full face masks or shields to protect the eyes. However, harmful sports-related eye injuries occur most often in sports such as baseball, basketball, and various racquet games. These games do not require the use of eye protection at all times. Baseball and tennis involves smaller balls that can easily slam to a players’ face by accident. The smaller the ball, the higher the risk is often the case. In basketball, it is not so much as the ball that is dangerous, but the other players. There is a lot of contact and moving in the game, where a player being hit in the eye from another player’s hand or head could be imminent. The fact is that sports eye injuries have accounted to nearly 100,000 doctor visits per year in the US, especially for children. This fact should urge parents and coaches to encourage players to start wearing protective eyewear in games.

The Eye Protection to Use

Sports goggles today can be accustomed to a specific sport with the frames made in various shapes and sizes. The best protective eyewear for sports is made with polycarbonate lenses, which includes a impact-resistant coasting to the front and the back surface that is stronger than other plastics. Polycarbonate can also protect your eyes from fast-moving objects and UV lights when playing outdoors. Whether you need glasses or not, sports eyewear can always be accommodated with both prescription and nonprescription lenses. Some sports eyewear can even be contoured, wrapping slightly around the head. This is beneficial for contact lens wearers because it can prevent any wind and dust from entering.

What To Look Out For

The primary element to consider when you are looking for sports googles for yourself or your child is that it should properly fit at that moment. For a child especially, you should not get larger goggles than what is needed just so that your child can grow into it. Frames that are too large will not be able to provide the protection needed for your eyes. In the same token, if your child is outgrowing his/her goggles, then you should change them out immediately. Small goggles will alter peripheral vision and be too uncomfortable.

Get Fitted Today

Blindness is a possible symptom from these sports injuries if we don’t do something to prevent them. Fortunately, sports eyewear is being more utilized in today’s games. With all of these benefits related to sports goggles like reduction of eye damage and better vision, why not. Inglewood Optometric Center has a stock full of high quality frames and lenses. In addition, young and old athletes will be able to obtain efficient sports goggles as well as get prescribed lenses with it. Be sure to call us at 310-671-2020 if you have any questions about sports eye injuries and eyewear. We’ll be happy to answer and help to get you more protected.