There are a lot of positive things to be gained by playing sports. Physical exercise, camaraderie, and teamwork are just a few of the advantages sports can bring to your life.
But did you know that each year, an estimated 100,000 people get hurt in sports-related eye injuries? And many of these eye injuries affect children.
The Most Common Eye Injuries
The most common types of sports-related eyes injuries are corneal abrasions, blunt injuries, and penetrating injuries. Let’s look at each one more closely.
This type of injury occurs when the cornea is scraped. During sports, this can happen if someone is accidentally poked in the eye with a finger. These injuries often heal on their own but you should have your doctor look at the injury.
Blunt injuries occur when the eye to hit by an object like a basketball or tennis ball. Blunt injuries can cause black eyes, bleeding, or broken bones around the eye.
Penetrating injuries are the most serious type of eye injury. This occurs when a foreign object pierces the eye. This could happen if your glasses were to suddenly break during a game.
4 Ways to Prevent Sports-Related Eye Injuries
The good news is that roughly 90 percent of these injuries can be prevented by a few simple safety precautions. Here are four ways you can keep yourself or your loved ones safe while playing sports.
Wear safety goggles
The best way to ensure your eyes are protected is by wearing safety goggles during a game. These will be especially useful during high impact sports.
Use helmets or a face mask
Some sports, like baseball or hockey, may require you to wear a face mask during the game.
Use sporting glasses
If you wear glasses regularly, you should know that they are not safe to wear during sports. You can talk to your doctor about getting sporting glasses that will be more durable and won’t break as easily.
Make sure everything fits correctly
Most sports require you to wear some sort of protective eyewear, but it won’t be much use if it doesn’t fit correctly. Make sure your sporting equipment fits properly and sits comfortably on your face.
With the right safety precautions, you can dramatically lower your risk for sports-related injuries. For more advice on preventing eye injuries or general eye health, you can contact our office to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with one of our doctors.