The National Eye Institute (NEI) has deemed September as Sports Eye Safety Month. If we’re of like minds, you may assume that it’s no coincidence that it coincides with the start of football season, a high-contact sport where it’s easy to assume an increased risk of eye injuries.
And like me, you’d be wrong.
The institute, part of the governmental National Institutes of Health, oversees ocular research and programs as part of its nearly 50-year, $675 million-a-year mission. One of its latest studies has determined that eye injuries are the leasing cause for children in the U.S. and the vast more than a third of those for school-aged children are sports-related. Those injuries account for an estimated 100,000 hospital and physician visits each year.
In ranking risks for each sport, football “” as violent as it can be “” isn’t the leading cause of eye injuries. Nor is it second. Or third.
In fact, football presents only a moderate risk of injury, according to NEI stats, along with other fall sports like golf, tennis and soccer. Basketball, baseball and hockey are categorized as high-risk sports, while other high school staples like swimming and wrestling are ranked as low-risk sports.
Nonetheless, the NEI chose September to highlight sports eye safety because it is the beginning of the school year and scholastic athletic schedules. No matter where your child’s sport may rank among potential risks, studies have shown that more than 90 percent of all sports-related eye injuries can be easily prevented with a few simple precautions.
Since most youth leagues do not have eye protection rules, it’s generally left to coaches and parents to take the lead.
The National Eye Institute offers these simple tips:
Use proper eyewear
Proper protection “” including safety glasses and goggles, safety shields and sport-specific eye guards “” are readily available and relatively inexpensive. Talk to your child’s ophthalmologist about the right gear. All children, not only those who wear glasses or contact lenses, should wear protection, the NEI advises. Most consist of 3 millimeter polycarbonate plastic which is 10-times more impact resistant than regular plastic lenses, despite being lighter.
Glasses and sunglasses aren’t enough
It’s important to note that regular prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses do not protect against eye injuries. In fact, due to shattering, they present a greater risk. Prescription protective lenses are readily available, or goggles can be worn over glasses.
Helmets aren’t enough
Football helmets, though they have facemasks, don’t protect eyes from eye pokes or scratches from broken equipment. Hockey facemasks, though they can blunt the point of impact, have many of the same problems as football helmets “” they’re not specifically designed for eye protection. If ocular health is a concern, specialized shields and lenses can be added to helmets to protect your athlete. Again, ask your coach or doctor where you can get the right equipment.
After an injury, don’t return too soon
Athletes with a serious eye injury should be examined by an ophthalmologist and return to play only if the doctor says it is safe. Usually, that’s not until the injured eye feels comfortable and there is no vision impairment.
Information is out there
For more information on different types of eye injuries, advice on protection and treatment if an injury does occur, there is plenty of informant available on the web. Visit sites set up by the Coalition to Prevent Sports Eye Injuries or the Vision Council of America.
