|
By Dr. Paul Berman O.D., F.A.A.O.
Understanding The Risks
The results of a 2001 study by Prevent Blindness America show over
38,000 people experienced a sport related eye injury and needed
emergency room treatment and in some cases, even further attention.
Some of the highest eye injuries occur in children between the ages
of 5 to 14 and are caused by participation in basketball, baseball,
softball, football, racquet sports and swimming,
Nearly one-half of eye injuries require costly emergency room care.
It’s also important to remember that even if an eye injury
seems to be minor; it may be serious. Loss of vision, severe pain
or tenderness and cuts around the eye require immediate medical
attention.
Don’t Be Duped
If your child plays a sport that requires a helmet or faceguard,
don’t make the mistake of thinking your child’s eyes
are protected from injuries. Your child’s eyes are still exposed
to danger from sports equipment, or an opponent’s fingers
penetrating the openings of a facemask.
Likewise, if your child wears glasses, everyday fashion eyewear
is not held to the same protective standards as re eyewear products
labeled as protective eyewear for sports use. The lens in your child’s
regular eyeglasses could easily pop out and puncture or cut the
eye. A frame mangled from impact could also injure the eyes and
ocular region of the face.
You Can Take Action
The good news is that you can help prevent your child from being
sidelined because of a serious eye injury. You can make the decision
to protect their eyes as well as the rest of their body by adding
protective sport goggles to their equipment bag.
While sport goggles provide significant protection, they cannot
guarantee too be unbreakable or guard against all foreseeable impacts.
However, a quality pair of sport goggles, equipped with polycarbonate
lenses, can be sight savers since they help the eyes and surrounding
ocular region safe. For kids who need corrective prescription lenses,
your eyecare professional can make a pair of prescription lenses
that fit into their sports goggle.
Don’t wait for your child to become the next eye injury statistic…add
protective sport goggles to their sports gear.
(Paul Berman is a private practice optometrist
located in Hackensack, New Jersey. He has been in practice for over
25 years. A past chair of the Sports Vision Section of the AOA,
Paul was the 1998 New Jersey Optometrist of the Year and the 2000
Sports Vision Optometrist of the Year. He has been a consultant
for Olympic teams and professional organizations including the New
Jersey Nets, New York Giants, and currently with the New Jersey
Devils. Dr. Berman has been on the faculty of the State University
of New York, State College of Optometry and has lectured internationally
on sports vision. He is most proud of being the founder and global
clinical director of Special Olympics Opening Eyes; a program devoted
to making people with mental retardation around the world see better.
Recently, Dr. Berman was the recipient of the American Optometric
Association’s Sportsvision Optometrist of the Year Award.) |
|
