Protective eyewear can help prevent many of the 40,000 sports-related
eye injuries that occur to children each year.
The sports
that cause most of these injuries are basketball, baseball, pool sports
and racket sports. But any sport that involves a projectile is considered
hazardous to the eyes, according to Dr. David Weakley, chief of
Ophthalmology at Children’s Medical Center and a professor of Pediatric
Ophthalmology at UT Southwestern.
“To help prevent
sports eye injuries, children should use protective athletic eyewear, even
if they wear eyeglasses,” Dr. Weakley said.
Parents can
help protect their children's eyes by choosing the right eyewear. Here are
some suggestions:
- For high-risk sports such as baseball or softball,
tennis, badminton, basketball or volleyball, one-piece plastic sports
frames with prescription or non-prescription polycarbonate lenses allow
for clear vision, as well as protection. Plenty of frames on the market
today meet these qualifications yet maintain fashionable looks.
- For lower-risk sports such as cycling or in-line
skating, look for sturdy eyeglass frames with polycarbonate
lenses.
Special features
There are some special eyewear
features parents and kids might also want to consider:
- Padded or rubber bridges for comfort.
- Deep-grooved eye wires so lenses won't fall out if the frame is hit
hard.
- A face-formed shape for a wider field of view.
- Headband attachments to secure the frames on the head.
Kids who spend a lot of time swimming should check out
protective goggles that hold either prescription or non-prescription
lenses for swimming, water skiing or snorkeling. Street hockey enthusiasts
and football players need extra protection. They should wear eye-face
guards designed for wearing over other glasses.
Contact
lens wearers also need protective athletic eyewear – contacts alone do not
provide protection.
What should parents do if a child does
get hit in the eye? Take the child to a hospital emergency room or to an
eye doctor, Dr. Weakley said.
“Some kids may see stars or
spots or notice a change in their vision, but damage from a blow isn't
always so apparent, even right after it happens,” Dr. Weakley says.
Click here to learn more about sports injury
prevention and other health-related topics on the Children's Web
site.
