Did you know that every 13 minutes, someone goes to the emergency room for an eye injury sustained while playing sports? This means roughly 100,000 sports-related eye accidents occur every year. Today, your trusted optometrist from Vienna Eyecare Center suggests ways to safeguard your eyes when you’re playing sports.
Before participating in any sport or recreational activity, it’s best to have your eyes checked by your eye doctor. We will assess your eyes’ accommodation, depth perception and other necessary visual skills. Eye exams can also help identify underlying eye conditions that may compromise your performance.
Wearing proper sports eyewear is one of the most effective ways to safeguard your eyes and reduce your risk of having an eye accident. In fact, research has shown that hockey players who wear protective eyeglasses or goggles are at least four times less likely to sustain eye injuries than those who do not. Many sports have governing bodies that stipulate safety eyewear guidelines, and the American Society for Testing and Materials also has guidelines.
Your eye doctor can help you choose the right type of eyewear based on the sport you’re playing. Polycarbonate lenses tend to be an excellent choice due to the material’s excellent impact resistance, which makes it less likely to break or shatter. Polycarbonate lenses are also lightweight and durable, giving you improved visual comfort and ease of movement when playing.
Your eye doctor explains that some forms of eye trauma aren’t apparent right away. If a ball hits your eye, for example, it may take a few days before a “black eye” appears. This is why it’s necessary to be aware of subtle signs of eye accidents, such as pupil size changes, blurry vision and pain.
For more tips on protecting your eyes while playing sports, get in touch with us at (703) 938-7633. You may also complete our form to request an appointment. We serve various Vienna, Reston and McLean, VA.
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