Now that school is out, let the summer sports begin! Many people out there either have children who play sports or play sports themselves. How many of you protect your eyes while engaging in these activities? Take it from your Indianapolis Eye Doctors, Dr. Amy Walden & Associates, it is extremely important to wear protective eyewear while playing sports.

Injuries due to sports are quite common, but many people especially children do not protect their eyes while playing. Did you know there are over 600,000 sports-related injuries each year? Children account for one-third of these injuries. However, only about 15% of children wear protective glasses when playing sports. This percentage needs to drastically increase to avoid many of these injuries and maintain proper vision.

Participating in sports is a great way for children to socialize and it teaches them the value of teamwork. When you do not take proper precautions, you are putting your child at risk. We want our children to get the most out of playing sports, keeping them safe will only continue to allow them to enjoy them.

Sports that have high-risk injuries use a ball, bat, puck, racquet, and a stick. These sports include baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, racquetball, and tennis. A stray ball can harm your eyes and cause temporary or permanent damage, depending on the speed and angle it hits your eyes. When you wear protective eyewear it will not hinder your sight when you are active, in fact, it often makes some players feel more confident and play harder since they are not scared of getting hit in the face.

Common Sports-Related Eye Injuries Include:

• Blunt Trauma
• Penetrating Injuries
• Ultraviolet Rays from the Sunlight

A blunt trauma injury is when an object hits your eye(s).  This is an extremely common injury. Whether you brake or fracture a bone under your eye, receive a black eye, have a detached retina or rupture something, these injuries are severely painful.

When something cuts your eye or part of your eye, this is a penetrating injury. These type of injuries are less common, but still occur and need to be discussed. A finger may poke your eye and your eye can have a scratch on it or your glasses can break and glass can go into your eye. If you receive either of these injuries while playing sports, seek medical attention right away. Then, visit your Indianapolis Eye Doctors to make sure there is no lasting damage to your vision.

Your eyes are exposed to the sun when you are playing sports. When you receive overexposure, your eyes can be effected in a negative way. You may not be aware, but your eyes too can become sunburnt. It is essential to protect your eyes with 100% UV protection. When you are outside between the hours of 10:00 to 2:00, you have the strongest chance of coming in contact with the strongest UV rays from the sun. Visit your Indianapolis Eye Doctors for a large selection of prescription sunglasses to help protect your eyes while spectating your children’s sports.

Here is a list of sports and the type of eyewear you should wear to protect your eyes from any injuries.

• Badminton – sports goggles
• Baseball – face guard, helmet, sports goggles, 100 UV protective sunglassesBaseball – face guard, helmet, sports goggles, 100 UV protective sunglasses
• Basketball – face guard/sports goggles
• Cycling – cycling eyeglasses
• Fencing – full face cage
• Field Hockey – helmet, faceguard and sport goggles
• Ice Hockey – helmet with face protection
• Lacrosse – helmet with face protection
• Racquetball – sports goggles
• Soccer – sports goggles and or 100 UV protective sunglasses
• Tennis – sports goggles and 100 UV protective sunglasses

If you do experience an eye injury, place a towel over the eye to protect it from further damage. Cover or bandage any cuts near or around the eye, to protect them from any germs. Flush the eye with water if anything got into the eye, this will wash away any debris that cannot be seen. If you received blunt trauma, hold a cold compress on the affected eye. It is best to follow up with your Indianapolis Eye Doctors to make sure there is not any further damage internally and that you have taken care of the eye injury to prevent further damage. Feel free to reach out to Dr. Amy Walden & Associates with any other questions.

Tips From Indianapolis Eye Doctors About What To Do If Your Suffer An Eye Injury While Playing Sports

If you do experience an eye injury, place a towel over the eye to protect it from further damage. Cover or bandage any cuts near or around the eye, to protect them from any germs. Flush the eye with water if anything got into the eye, this will wash away any debris that cannot be seen. If you received blunt trauma, hold a cold compress on the affected eye. It is best to follow up with your Indianapolis Eye Doctors to make sure there is not any further damage internally and that you have taken care of the eye injury to prevent further damage. Feel free to reach out to Dr. Amy Walden & Associates with any other questions.