An estimated 90% of eye injuries are preventable if the right eye protection is worn.
During Sports Eye Safety Month, we’re sharing some safety advice to help you keep your eyes safe while engaging in sports and other recreational activities. It’s crucial to remember that any activity can result in eye injuries, so it’s best to take all protective precautions.
Here are some simple things you can implement when participating in your favorite sporting activity.
Wear eye protection
This is, without a doubt, the most crucial step in preventing eye injuries. Make sure to pick eye protection that is suitable to the sport. If you’re playing a contact sport, such as hockey or football, we recommend a face shield or goggles. This will prevent bruising to the eyeball and avoid any potential flying objects from hitting your eyes. If you’re doing something less high-impact, such as cycling or running, UV-blocking sunglasses will do just fine. Sunglasses not only block the UV rays, but will also prevent bugs, dirt, or other objects from getting in your eyes when moving at faster paces.
Be aware of your surroundings
It is imperative to always be aware of your surroundings. Make sure to take into account what’s on the sidelines and what kind of terrain and environment will you be in. Be aware of flying debris, branches, tripping hazards, etc. Consider polarized or tinted lenses to improve contrast and eliminate glare.
It can be difficult to navigate all the different variations of eye protection, but we can help! We’re happy to offer suggestions to our patients so that you can get the best protective gear for your favorite sports and activities. And always remember that if an eye injury does happen, go straight to the eye doctor or the emergency room. Faster treatment and detection will lead to fewer complications in the future.