The Importance of Good Vision in Sports

Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States and most injuries occurring in school-aged children are sports-related.1 These injuries account for an estimated 100,000 physician visits per year at a cost of more than $175 million.

Ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries can be avoided with the use of protective eyewear.1 Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards designed for a particular sport. Ordinary prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses do not protect against eye injuries. Safety goggles should be worn over them.

Currently, most youth sports leagues do not require the use of eye protection. Parents and coaches must insist that children wear safety glasses or goggles whenever they play.

Protective eyewear, which is made of ultra-strong polycarbonate, is 10 times more impact resistant than other plastics, and does not reduce vision. All children who play sports should use protective eyewear-not just those who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. For children who do wear glasses or contact lenses, most protective eyewear can be made to match their prescriptions. It is especially important for student athletes who have vision in only one eye or a history of eye injury or eye surgery to use protective eyewear.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, or coach, you can encourage schools to adopt a policy on protective eyewear. Meanwhile, parents and coaches should insist that children wear protective eyewear whenever they play sports and be good role models and wear it themselves.

Source: nei.nih

Pediatric Eye Clinic's goal is to provide our patients with personalized eye health care and education. Our office is equipped with advanced technology allowing us to give you a better understanding and diagnosis of ocular findings. Dr. Gomez is a pediatric optometrist specialized in Wave Design Contact Lenses and Orthokeratology. Orthokeratology or Ortho-k is a non-surgical refractive therapy that helps slow down myopia progression allowing patients to live a life free of glasses or contacts.

Pedro Gomez OD.

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