Fall Sports Eye Safety | Sports Eye Safety Awareness

The cooler fall weather is almost here. Along with shorter days and colorful leaves, it means the start of fall sports. Fall sports season may include football, field hockey, lacrosse, and more. Although fall sports are a great way to have fun, exercise, and work as a team, it is important to take steps to protect your eyes and vision from injury.
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September is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month. Keep reading the article below to learn what types of sports may put your eyes at risk and how protective eyewear can help.  
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Football 

Football is one of the most common and popular fall sports. It is also one of the sports with the highest risk of injuries. Although eye injuries are not as common as other types of injuries, they can still occur.  

Injuries to the eye can occur due to a collision with a player, a fall, or the football. Research in Ocular Surgery News found that the most common types of injuries included eyelid or orbital contusions and retinal hemorrhages. The most common mechanism of injury was from the football. Damage to the eyes can also occur after a head injury from a collision with another player. 

The best way to reduce the risk of an eye injury is by wearing protective equipment. In addition to a helmet, a face visor also reduces the risk of eye injuries. A study published in Ophthalmology Advisor found that players that wore face visors, in addition to their helmet, had fewer eye injuries than those that do not wear the visor. 
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Field hockey 

Eye injuries from field hockey can include orbital fractures, lacerations, and trauma to the globe of the eye. The injuries usually occur due to contact with the ball or the hockey stick.

Research in the Journal Pediatrics found that the incidence of eye injuries was reduced in states that began mandating protective eyewear for field hockey players in high school and college.

Look for field hockey protective eyewear that is labeled with the ASTM 2713 stamp. This means it meets industry standards for protection.  
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Lacrosse 

Lacrosse injuries are similar to the types of eye injuries that occur in field hockey. Injuries can range from minor, such as a black eye, to more serious, including bleeding in the front of the eye. More significant injuries may occur, such as blunt trauma to the eyeball itself. Severe damage to the structure of the eye from blunt trauma can potentially cause vision loss.

According to Prevent Blindness, since the 2004-2005 season, protective eyewear has been mandatory in women’s lacrosse for college and high school players. Sports eyewear for lacrosse should be labeled ASTM F3077-17. 
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Water polo 

It may not seem like water polo would have the potential to cause eye injuries, but injuries can occur from being poked in the eye by another player. Water polo players are also susceptible to eye irritation and allergic conjunctivitis from chronic exposure to the chlorine in the pools.  Wearing swim goggles can reduce the risk of irritation and injuries. 

Tips 

There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting sports protective eyewear, such as the following:

• Consider choosing lenses with an anti-fog coating depending on where you live and how likely, or often foggy conditions develop.
• Sports eyewear should have cushioning or padding along the bridge of the nose for comfort.
• Make sure you try on the eyewear to ensure a proper fit. It should fit firm enough to not fall off, but not cut into the skin. Most sports eyewear has an adjustable strap.

If you have any questions about preventing sports eye injuries, we are happy to help. If you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.