According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, more than 40,000 Americans sustain eye injuries from playing sports. Even if you don’t play basketball or baseball (the two sports that cause the most eye injuries), you can just as easily hurt your eyes by playing tennis or squash. To promote sports eye safety, here are a few quick facts and safety tips.
- Top sports-related eye injuries are from basketball, baseball/softball, airsoft, and water and pool activities.
- As extreme sports continue to gain popularity, the number of athletes who suffer eye injuries are expected to rise considerably.
- Boxing and MMA pose a very high risk of serious or even blinding eye injuries. Unfortunately, there is no satisfactory eye protection for boxing while thumbless gloves may reduce the number of MMA-related eye injuries.
- School-aged competitors are particularly prone to eye injuries since their athletic skills are still developing.
- Hockey players who wear eye protection are four times less likely to sustain an eye injury.
- Polycarbonate safety glasses are 10 times more impact resistant than regular glasses.
- One in 10 college basketball players can expect to sustain an eye injury on the court.
- The financial impact of sports-related eye injuries is significant, costing between an estimated 175 to 200 million dollars annually.
- Just because a sport requires a helmet or faceguard doesn’t mean that your eyes are protected from injuries.
- Protective eyewear is readily available at sporting goods stores as well as eye care professionals’ offices.
- All sports protective eyewear should meet the minimum impact standards of the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Eyes on Norbeck provides a personalized approach to eye care for patients throughout Maryland. Backed by our state-of-the-art equipment and years of experience, we can guarantee a positive experience whenever you come to visit. To schedule an appointment, please give us a call at (301) 238-7199 or fill out our contact form and one of our friendly staff members will be happy to assist you.
