Center for Vision Loss

APRIL IS SPORTS EYE SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH

Spring has finally arrived in the Lehigh Valley! And that means that lots of children and adults alike are now spending their leisure time participating in outdoor sports and other activities. The Center for Vision Loss wants to remind you that sports-related eye injuries are quite common, but the number of people who wear safety glasses or goggles is very low. Interestingly, one-third of all sports-related eye injuries occur in children. The Vision Council in Alexandria, Virginia, has compiled an informational paper wihch provides some very important information about eye safety and sports which we are sharing here.

Did you know that 90 percent of all sports eye injuries are preventable if you take the time to wear appropriate protective eyewear? Baseballs, basketballs, hockey pucks and racquets are the biggest contenders for creating eye injuries. These injuries can include abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lid to internal eye injuries such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding. Eye protection should be a must for all players but especially for those who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Even if a team does not require eye protection, parents should insist that their children wear safety glasses or googles while adults need to make that commitment to protect their own good health.

Here are some helpful tips to protect the eyes while playing sports:

• All sports protective eyewear should meet the impact standards of the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM). An optometrist can make sure that the eye protection fits properly. There are also a wide range of polycarbonate face masks and guards that can be attached to helmets or worn by themselves.
• Regular eyeglasses are not held up to the same protective standards as protective eyewear for sports use. The lenses in regular eyewear could pop out and puncture or cut the eye and a frame which becomes mangled could also injure the eyes.
• Lenses should be made from polycarbonate materials because they provide the highest level of impact protection; these lenses are available in both eyeglasses and sunglasses.
• Wearing a helmet or face guard still does not provide enough protection from eye injury.
• Protective eyewear can be purchased at sporting goods stores as well as eye care professionals' offices.

If an eye injury does occur, it's important to see a medical doctor or eye care professional as soon as possible since an injury may not be immediately obvious. Take the following steps until a medical professional can be seen:

• Protect the eye from further damage by holding a folded cloth over the eye, allowing it to act as a shield.
• Bandage any cuts around the eye to prevent contamination or infection.
• Flush the eye with water if there is small debris in the eye, but do not wash it out when dealing with cuts or punctures to the eye.
• Use a cold compress to treat blunt trauma injury such as a black eye, but be careful not to appy additional pressure.
• Don't remove any objects that are stuck in the eye.
• Do not attempt to self-medicate by applying ointments or taking any medications, including over-the-counter drugs.
• Do not rub the eye-this could cause more damage.

Remember-sports are fun and provide an outlet for physical fitness, teamwork and increased self-esteem. By protecting your eyes, you can have a great time and take advantage of these other benefits, too! If you have a child or grandchild, encourage them to wear protective eye protection. And as an adult, the best thing you can do is to always wearing eye protection when you engage in sports. It not sets a good example for the young people in your life, but will also protect your own eyes now and for the future!

The Center for Vision Loss is the only community benefit organization in Lehigh, Northamp[ton and Monroe Counties which provides programs and services to improve the lives of people with vision loss and promotes healthy vision for people of all ages. Offices are located at 845 West Wyoming Street, Allentown, PA 18103 and 4215 Manor Drive, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. For more information contact us at 610-433-6018 (Lehigh Valley) and 570-992-7787 (Monroe County), information@centerforvisionloss or www.centerforvisionloss.org.