Did you know that over 30,000 sports-related eye injuries in the US are treated in emergency rooms? While that number is undoubtedly large, about 90% of these injuries can be prevented by wearing the appropriate protective eyewear. As the weather warms up and adults and children go out and play more while participating in team sports, people should look into the best protective eyewear for them.
Different sports and activities come with varying levels of risk for eye injury, so we want to make sure you put yourself in the proper protective gear. While sunglasses may prevent your eyes from being exposed to harmful UV rays, they are not a form of protective eyewear and, in some extreme cases, can make eye injuries worse. If you already have vision loss in one of your eyes, you should consider the risk of participating in a high-risk sport and whether or not protective gear would be the best option for you.
You may be questioning which sports tend to cause the most eye injuries. You may not have guessed it, but basketball is the leading cause of sports-related eye injuries in the United States! Other sports considered to be top eye-injury-causing sports are racquet sports (tennis, racquetball, squash, badminton, and paddle tennis), soccer and field hockey. Make sure for these kinds of sports and all others that you are choosing eye protection that has been tested to meet the American Society of Testing and Materials standards.
Your optometrist, as well as your local optical staff, can let you know what protective eyewear suits you best, depending on which sports you like to play. Make sure you are receiving your protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses, as well as a scratch-resistant coating.
We encourage you to contact us whenever you have an interest in or concern about any of the procedures or services that we offer. You may contact us by calling our office requesting an appointment.
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