With sports accounting for more than 40% of all eye injuries per year, Eye Clinic of Austin wants to bring attention to the importance of using proper eye protection. It’s estimated that 100,000 people suffer from sports-related eye injuries each year and over 13,000 of these injuries result in permanent vision loss.
Watersports, basketball, baseball, and softball see the most frequent injuries. However, athletes of every sport should take precaution, regardless of age or game!
The good news is that most of these injuries are entirely avoidable—taking simple steps like using helmets with protective face shields, wearing certified sports protective eyewear, that fits, (polycarbonate is the best material), and using eye drops before and after swimming can help prevent damage to your eyes.
Two more critical tips are to recognize that regular eyeglasses won’t protect you from injury and you should be sure to toss out damaged or aging gear. If you’re experiencing any kind of eye pain or irritation, make an appointment with your doctor. He or she will be able to give you the green light to get off the bench and back on your game!
Sources:
https://www.preventblindness.org/sports-eye-safety
https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/eye-protection-prevents-athletes-from-eye-injury
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/swimming-contacts-your-eyes
https://www.aao.org/newsroom/observances