Every year, participation in sports leads to thousands upon thousands of eye injuries. However, 90 percent of these injuries can be prevented if participants use the proper protective eyewear, reports Eye Smart.
Sports That Pose the Highest Risk to the Eyes
For adults and children alike, sports with the highest rate of eye injuries include baseball, basketball and racquet sports. Baseball players, as well as lacrosse and ice hockey players, can reduce eye injuries by wearing a helmet with a polycarbonate face mask at all times. Hockey masks must have approval from either the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Hockey Equipment Certification Council. For sports, such as basketball and racquet sports, as well as field hockey and soccer, players should use protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses.
Other activities that are high risk include boxing and martial arts. Unfortunately, no eye protection for boxing exists, but the use of thumbless gloves can help.
Ways to Protect Your Kids’ Eyes
The following eye safety tips for children from Vision Council can help prevent serious eyes injuries.
- — Kids should always use protective eyewear, even if they need prescription lenses to see. Regular eye glasses don’t provide adequate protection.
- — All eyewear should meet the ASTM requirements or CSA racquet sports standard.
- — You should schedule a visit with your optometrist to ensure protective glasses or goggles fit properly.
- — The lenses in protective eyewear should be polycarbonate, a lightweight plastic that provides a higher level of impact protection than any other material. Polycarbonate can withstand the impact of balls and similar objects traveling up to 90 miles per hour.
- — Fashion sunglasses are not a substitute for protective eyewear. The lenses in these shades may shatter or the frame may break upon impact, causing serious eye injuries.
The shades in our Real Kids’ collection of sports sunglasses all feature polycarbonate, wraparound frames, shatterproof lenses and 100 percent UV protection, making them ideal for a range of sports and recreational activities.