OPTICAL PRISM | FEATURE
As eye care professionals , we have an opportunity to educate our patients about the importance of appropriate eyewear for sports activity .
Sportsrelated eye injury discussions critical
BY DR . HARRY BOHNSACK , President , Canadian Association of Optometrists
Sports goggles come in a variety of shapes and sizes . While many are designed for racquet sports , they are available for a wide range of activities , including basketball , soccer , hang gliding and sailing . Some are even designed to sit inside helmets for football , hockey and baseball .
Whenever I get the chance , I recommend protective eyewear that uses shatterproof plastic , or sports frames , which are designed to shift the impact force away from the eye area , thereby decreasing the likelihood of damage . Lenses are usually made of polycarbonate because they are thinner ( and therefore lighter ) and provide UV protection .
The word “ eye-popping ” is a great one if reading about an athlete ’ s numbers or plays .
But nobody wants to hear that word when it comes to a sports-related injury .
In the most recent statistics ( 2019 ) available on eye injuries from sports in the United States ( data for Canada only tracked children and adolescents reporting at select hospitals ), the highest numbers of sports-related eye injuries came from basketball , followed by water sports and pools . 1 These were followed by non-powder guns , darts , arrows and slingshots ( a single category ), cycling and exercise and weightlifting .
Eye injuries can also occur in low-risk sports , like skateboarding , skating , volleyball and even fishing . Somewhat surprisingly , more adults were at risk from these sports than children ( with some notable exceptions , including baseball , playground equipment , trampolining and the afore-mentioned skateboarding ).
The types of eye injuries cited were infections , corneal abrasions , eye socket fracture , detached retinas or a traumatic cataract . Those are some serious vision issues and yet research indicates that 90 per cent of sports-related eye injury is preventable .
HOW ? By wearing protective eyewear .
MYTH : a widely held , but false belief or idea – including the one that says regular glasses are good enough to protect the eyes during sports . Neither regular glasses , sunglasses and even industrial safety glasses offer the protection needed for the more vigorous activity attached to sport and can likely cause even greater eye damage if they shatter .
As with any glasses , fitting them to the individual wearer is key . And while there may be a temptation with kids to purchase larger protective eyewear so there is “ room to grow ,” that can both compromise the actual safety they are supposed to provide and discourage a child from wearing them because they are uncomfortable .
While supportive of all efforts to get people active ( if they are active and outside , a double
bonus in the fight against myopia !), it is important to encourage people to do so safely .
Don ’ t be shy about talking to your patients about sports-related eye safety .
It could help save their vision . OP
1 . Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission , the National Injury Information Clearinghouse and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System ’ s Product Summary Report for 2018 .
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