Summertime, Swimming, Sports and Eye Trauma. Which one of these does not belong?
Lets talk about eye protection. Did you know that 70% of Americans report they are involved in athletic activities. However, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA), only just over 30% of adults wear any eye protection while participating in sports. And sadly, only half have introduced their children to any form of eye protection. I am hopeful that with more awareness we can change these statistics. 15% of the annual eye injuries in the U.S. are the result of sports/recreational activities and up to 90% of sports-related eye injuries are preventable, according to National Eye Institute (NEI).
The highest risk sports, according to the NEI, are baseball/softball, basketball, boxing, hockey, Lacrosse, paintball, and racquet sports. For kids under 14, baseball is the leading cause of eye injury. For 15-24 year olds, it’s basketball.
What you need to know to help prevent injuries:
Wear eye protection that meets ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards. Parents, make sure that your children wear eye protection. Question the coaches in the sports your child is involved. Is eye protection advised along with shin guards or helmets? Does the coach keep an ocular emergency first aid kit on the bench? Does the coach know what to do if there an ocular emergency?
Optimum Vision and Eye Care is happy to provide a complimentary ocular emergency triage card to any coach that may require one. We can also guide you in creating your own ocular emergency kit. Dr. Geiger is available for consults and sports vision screening. Contact us at 480-588-8858.
