Protective Eyewear Could Stop 40,000 Eye Injuries Annually

Each year, more than 40,000 Americans injure their eyes during sports and recreational activities such as baseball, basketball and tennis. Unfortunately, approximately one-third of those eye-injury victims are school-aged children.

April is Sports Eye Safety Month, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, through its EyeSmart program, is reminding individuals that the only way to prevent a sports-related eye injury is for athletes to wear appropriate, sport-specific protective eyewear properly fitted by an eye care professional. You  might want to jump on the bandwagon, reminding your patients that sports-related eye injuries range from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lids to internal eye injuries, such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding. The good news is, almost all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented using appropriate protective eye wear. Read more.