The large number of sports-related eye injuries that occur in the US each year, especially among kids, is an indication of the importance of wearing eye protection in sports activities. Wearing protective eyewear is the best way to avoid eye injury, especially in sports such as tennis, basketball, martial arts, and baseball.
Types of Protective Eyewear
Wearing eye protection is easily the number one way to protect eyes during sporting activities. These are generally available for each particular sport, and include helmets, eye goggles, safety shields and glasses, as well as eye guards.
Eye gears prevent items from entering the eyes, and offer protection in case you are hit by a ball or other object during play. Eyeglasses and contact lenses do not provide eye protection, therefore people who wear them should also use protective eyewear.
Importance of eye protection
Eye protection is important, because it keeps the eyes safe from injuries such as swollen or detached retinas, corneal abrasions, and traumatic cataracts. These injuries can lead to limited vision in one or both eyes, and in severe cases, permanent vision loss.
Accidents can happen very quickly during sporting activities, therefore eye protection is critical. There is usually no time to take preventive action, but if you have the required eyewear in place an injury is less likely to occur.
Athletes and other people who play sports regularly should make frequent visits to their ophthalmologist. Your eye specialist can offer advice on choosing the best protective eyewear, in order to ensure eye safety when playing sports.
You can contact the New View Eye Center, Reston, Virginia, to find out more about the importance of eye protection in sports. Call 703-834-9777today, and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths.