Children of all ages participate in sports of different types. Some of these sports present a high risk of serious eye injuries and, in some cases, blindness. In order to reduce the chances of sports-related injuries, we recommend that children involved in various activities should use appropriate eye wear in the sports they participate in.Important Facts State-based programs and youth & school athletic league programs should ensure that coaches, parents, and children are educated about the importance of wearing the right type of sports eye safety wear. Some of the things we recommend include: The type of eye safety wear for sports should be purchased only after consultation with an athletic trainer, a physician or eye doctor. It needs to suit the child’s size and should be appropriate for the sport he or she is playing. Adolescents and children should wear eye protection gear that meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as well as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The legislators of the state should adopt a legislation that requires the use of safety eyewear for children of all ages when they are participating in high/medium-risk sports through their school, youth league or even collegiate athletic programs. Sports safety wear that doesn’t conform to the standards set by ANSI and ASTM should be banned by the collegiate, community, and school sports programs. It is important that the right type of sports eyewear be made available via funding that is similar to any other equipment such as pads, uniforms, helmets etc. to children that a participating in any sports.Common Sport-Related Eye Injuries Athletes can suffer acute eye injuries when they fail to wear the right type of eye protection or when they use face shields. This can occur particularly when they wear glasses or goggles that don’t fit properly or which aren’t appropriate for that specific sport. Athletes that don’t wear the right type of protection can suffer from common injuries such as:
Swollen Or Detached Retinas Hyphema Orbital Fractures Traumatic Cataract
Standard plastic or glass lenses, digital sunglasses or even open eye guards without lenses are all designed for regular or daily use. These do not provide the child’s eyes adequate protection during sports. Lenses that are made from non-polycarbonate materials are prone to shattering upon impact. Not only this increase the severity of the eye injury, but also has the potential to cause permanent blindness in the child.Certified and Good Quality Eye Safety Wear As you can see, sports eye safety isn’t something you can take for granted. It is important that you invest in good quality, certified sports safety eye wear that will provide your child’s eyes the right kind of protection. If you want more information on the type of safety eye wear you should choose for your children,feel free to contact Vizavance or give us a call at 405-848-7123. You can book an appointment for free eye exams in Oklahoma at the earliest convenience.
