If you play sports, you probably wear protective gear to keep your arms, fingers, legs and other body parts safe. However, you shouldn’t forget that your eyes are at risk too. It’s essntial to wear protective eyewear for certain sports.
A local optometrist shares tips to help you choose the right eye gear for your sport.
Selecting the Right Eyewear for Your Sport
It’s always a good idea to protect your eyes when playing physically-engaging sports. Activities that especially require proper eye gear include lacrosse, swimming, football, archery, hockey and skiing or snowboarding. Specialized face masks or goggles are usually available for these sports.
Soccer, basketball, baseball and tennis players can wear polycarbonate goggles, which can be worn over eyeglasses. Bikers can also benefit from this eyewear. Polycarbonate is stronger than standard plastic and it resists impact from strikes. These goggles can be created to match your vision prescription so you don’t have to wear glasses while playing sports.
Moreover, for sports like water polo, regular eye protection can be a hazard. The USA Water Polo has specific guidelines for protective goggles. If you don’t have a strong prescription, it’s better not to use goggles for this sport at all. Consult your eye doctor to ensure you’re using the right eyewear for your sport.
The Importance of Eye Protection
Tens of thousands of Americans are brought to the emergency room every year due to sports-related eye injuries. These injuries are also one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss in children. The National Eye Institute says that up to 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries could have been avoided by wearing proper protective eyewear.
Still not sure which eyewear is best for your sport? To learn more about proper sports eye gear and myopia control, contact an eye specialist in your area.