Friday, October 28, 2011

Sports Eye Safety

Everyone loves sports and they love to look fashionable. While protective eye gear may never be the latest craze, it is very important to protect your eyes. Wearing eye gear can help prevent the possibility of permanent vision loss, a scratched cornea or fractured eye socket.

Every year, more than 40,000 adults and children suffer eye injuries while participating in sports. Sports with the highest risk for eye injury are basketball, baseball, hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, paint-ball and racket sports. Athletes participating in high-risk sports, especially young athletes should wear appropriate sport-specific protective eyewear as recommended and properly fitted by an eye-care professional.

Eyewear properly fitted and worn does not hinder performance in any way, and can help to prevent sports eye injuries. It is highly recommended to prevent an eye injury that protective polycarbonate lenses be worn. Polycarbonate lenses are unbreakable and make excellent protection for the eyes. People with one eye should carefully consider the risks of contact sports. Wearing eye protection is essential for people with only one eye.

Goggles or sports glasses can protect the eyes while playing basketball, soccer, racket sports and handball. Helmets with eye shields are recommended for football, ice-hockey and other contact sports. For high-speed sports such as skiing and biking, it is important to wear special frames sturdy enough to protect the eyes from impact or debris.

Prescription glasses used during sports should be made from polycarbonate which is 20 times stronger than typical eyeglass material. Polycarbonate can withstand impact from a ball or other projectile traveling at fast speed. Contact lenses offer no protection, and street wear glasses are inadequate to protect against any type of eye injury.

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