Sports Eye Safety Month is dedicated to raising awareness about the risks of sports-related eye injuries and how to protect your eyes. While it only takes a moment for an eye injury to occur, the damage can affect your vision for the rest of your life.
Forty thousand sports eye injuries happen in the U.S. each year. With proper protective eyewear, up to 90% of these injuries could be avoided.
College and pro athletes, adults, and children who play sports are all at risk for eye injuries. However, the highest number of sports eye injuries happen to those under 18.
You can get an eye injury playing just about any sport, but the risk is higher in those that involve a fast-moving ball, puck, or other projectile objects. Some of the sports that cause the most eye injuries are:
Sports-related eye injuries range from minor to severe. However, every eye injury should be taken seriously, as even minor ones can have lasting effects. Common types of sports-related eye injuries include:
Corneal abrasion
A corneal abrasion is a scratch on the cornea, which is the outer surface of the eye. This can occur from factors like flying debris or getting poked in the eye. Symptoms can include blurry vision, a headache, light sensitivity, or more serious eye or vision problems.
Eye penetration
This type of injury happens when something sharp punctures or penetrates the eye. It can result in permanent vision loss, depending on the severity of the damage and the part of the eye that is affected.
Blunt eye trauma
This is a forceful impact to the eye or eye area, such as getting hit with a baseball or an elbow. Even mild blunt trauma can result in a black eye, eyelid damage, or other serious eye injuries. More severe trauma can break the bones around the eye socket or cause further damage.
Chemical burn – The powders and spray paint used on an athletic field contain chemicals that can get into your eyes. Depending on which chemicals are used, you could experience symptoms like eye discomfort, irritation, excessive tearing, and burning. In some cases, vision loss or permanent blindness could result.
Exposure to UV radiation – Without proper eye protection, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation can damage your eyes or cause vision loss. This is especially a risk for outdoor athletes who are exposed to the sun’s UV rays. Glare from the sun reflecting off surfaces like water, snow, and concrete can also harm the eyes.
Sport-related eye injuries can cause vision loss and other eye-related concerns. If you experience an eye injury, it’s important to get medical treatment immediately and see your eye doctor as soon as possible.
Everyone should wear protective eyewear during sports even if they already wear eyeglasses. Regular glasses and sunglasses aren’t usually strong enough to protect your eyes from fast-moving objects like a baseball pitch traveling at 100 miles per hour or more.
Sports eyewear offers better eye protection because it typically has polycarbonate lenses, which are impact-resistant and provide UV protection. Many sports glasses can be fitted with prescription lenses for those who need vision correction.
Sports goggles can be a good choice for every athlete. They feature a wraparound design to help protect your eyes from dust, wind, flying debris, and more. Here are some of our top picks:
You can also choose sport-specific protective eyewear, such as for:
Whatever sport you play, FramesDirect has protective eyewear to meet your needs. Shop our selection of sports eyeglasses and sunglasses to keep your eyes safe and your vision clear on and off the field.