Eye Injuries and Sports

Are you taking unnecessary risks with your eyes? A recent report has served as an excellent reminder of the injuries which can occur when adequate safety measures are not followed. Eye injuries are continuing to grow unabated, despite the availability of protective eye-wear. Yet if the safety glasses were worn, we could reduce the number of injuries to zero. According to a report in EyeCare Digest the number of sports related eye injuries number well over 100,000 in the U.S.. Of particular concern is the risk to children; sports injuries are the number one cause of eye trauma in children under 15.

The sports which are most dangerous for the eyes are baseball, racquet sports, and basketball. Baseball continues as the most common cause of sports related eye injuries in children. A full face protector which mounts to the batting helmet is available, and in 1984 the National Society to Prevent Blindness recommended that both batters and base runners wear such face protectors. Despite the staggering statistics, these face shields have still not become mandatory.

Racquet sports are the leading cause of sports eye injuries in adults. Lenless eye protectors are no longer recommended and only CSA certified goggles with special "polycarbonate" lenses should be worn. These are available in prescription and non-prescription form.

Athletes with only one eye or a lazy eye are especially at risk. One would have to be very foolish to play any sport without taking care to protect the good eye. Many doctors recommend against anyone with only one eye from participating in sports at all!

Protection Works: Hockey used to be a very common cause of eye injuries for those under 30. Since the Amateur Hockey Association mandated full face protection, eye injuries among hockey players using approved protectors has dropped to near zero. In fact, not one injury was reported in all of Canada in 1983 for players wearing the face shields.

The B.C. Association of Optometrists recommends that all athletes take proper measures to protect their eyes. Children are especially at risk and parents and coaches must ensure that protection is provided.