By: Dr. L, McLean County Eye Center
When people are asked what are some of their biggest fears, losing vision is frequently at the top of the list. One of the more common ways this fear is realized is preventable eye injuries that occur with sports. According to a recent study by the National Eye Institute, eye injuries are now the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States, and most of these cases are due to sports-related eye injuries. The study further found that ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries could have been avoided with the use of protective eyewear.
The most common sports injuries occurred with basketball, baseball, followed by water sports and racquet sports.* It is recommended that all children and adults wear protective eyewear, which is approximately 10 times more effective with protecting the eye from injury compared to prescription glasses or sunglasses. It is especially important for people who have vision in only one eye, or a history of eye injury or eye surgery, to use protective eyewear. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards designed for a particular sport.
As a society we have correctly embraced wearing seat belts and avoiding texting while
driving, but we have missed the mark with addressing one of the most preventable causes of vision loss. As parents, we should insist that our children wear protective eyewear whenever they play sports and then be a good role model and also wear it ourselves.
For more information, visit the McLean County Eye Center both at FSI today through July 15 and at FSII from July 18-July 22 or visit their website here.
*Harrison, A., & Telander, DG. Eye injuries in the youth athlete: a case-based approach