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Many athletes suffer from sports-related eye injuries each year. Young children and teen athletes tend to be especially prone to these injuries, which can be easily avoided. If you or your child are an athlete, consider taking proactive eye care action to prevent these types of injuries. Your Cincinnati, OH, eye doctor at Wing Eyecare is here with some of the most common injuries they see due to sports, and what can be done to protect your eyes on the court or field.

A Look at Common Eye Injuries in Sports

When you think of sports that are high in injuries, basketball, football, and volleyball probably come to mind. While it’s true these athletes are particularly prone to injury, even low-impact sports like track and field carry a degree of risk. Blunt trauma is the most common eye injury in sports due to flying objects at high speeds or a forceful contact with an opponent. It can lead to problems as small as a black eye to serious consequences such as a ruptured eyeball or detached retina.

Flying debris or swinging equipment can also lead to a penetrating injury, which can cause permanent vision loss. A corneal abrasion is also common, as it occurs when there’s a scratch on the outer eye surface. Even the smallest bit of debris or contact can cause this. It’s not uncommon for baseball players sliding into a base to get sand in their eyes, or for basketball players to be scratched in the eye by an opponent.

How to Avoid These Injuries

eye doctorEven in sports where athletes are required to wear helmets, the eyes are often left unprotected. In these cases, protective sports eyeglasses or face shields are recommended. These eye care glasses are designed to protect against blunt injury, penetrating objects, or scratches. Their polycarbonate material is impact-resistant and designed not to shatter. It’s the same material used for diving masks and motorcycle windshields, so you’ll know your eyes are getting the best possible protection. They can even be prescription glasses for those who need them.

If you’d like to get these protective eye care sports glasses, see an optometrist right away. They can set you up with a pair designed just for your sport, size, and prescription needs. You can also call Wing Eyecare at (888) 274-9464 to schedule an appointment at an office nearest you. They have multiple locations for your convenience, which can be found on their website. You can also connect with the eye care team on Facebook.

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