Did you know that 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries are preventable? I hope you’re not reading this after you’ve gotten a black eye. According to Prevent Blindness America, these sports include football, baseball, and basketball, then water and racquet sports. Also making it onto the list is the use of scooters and skateboards. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), there are about 600,000 documented sports-related injuries reported annually. Over 13,000 of these result in permanent loss of sight. The majority of these occur in persons under 30 years of age.
There are three types of eye trauma that can result from sports injuries: blunt injuries, ultraviolet UV radiation and penetrating injuries. Blunt trauma, the most common, occurs when impact from an object (tennis ball, racquet, fist, elbow) causes sudden compression of the eye. Some serious examples are an orbital blowout fracture and a detached retina. Next, radiation injuries are caused by exposure to UV light from the sun. These injuries are common in sports such as snowboarding, skiing and water skiing. Lastly, penetrating injuries may be from a superficial corneal abrasion usually from a fingernail, or when a foreign object pierces the eye. Objects may include BB pellets, broken glass from spectacles, and metal objects. As symptoms of severe injury are not always obvious, it is crucial that all cases of eye trauma get a thorough dilated eye examination from an eye care practitioner.
Treatment: Prompt first aid after eye injury may greatly improve the chance of preserving vision. Often, the first aid is a protective “pirate” patch to prevent further damage. Even a contact lens used as a “bandage” lens may serve as a pain reducer to eliminate extreme corneal pain. Your eye care practitioner is able to determine the appropriate treatment or referral.
Prevention: The best prevention is to wear specially designed protective eyewear. Such eye guards, while they cannot eliminate risk, greatly reduce the chance of ocular injury. Today, the standard lenses used in sports such as racquetball, baseball and basketball are made of polycarbonate, an impact-resistant plastic. Many sports eyewear have cushion at the nose and head areas. Numerous Oakley eyewear frames have an “S” bevel cut into the lenses that prevent the lenses from being dislodged toward the eyes.
For further information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Castaic Optometry at 661-294-2733.