Sports Eye Safety: It’s Up to You

Tens of thousands of people seek treatment for sports-related eye injuries every year. Did you know that almost all of these injuries could have been prevented?

You need to protect your eyes – whatever your age and whichever sport you choose!

Here are the steps to follow in order to avoid sports eye injuries:

• Wear the proper safety goggles (lensed polycarbonate protectors) for any racquet sport along with basketball. To ensure that your eyes are protected, it’s important that your sports protective eyewear or eye guards are labeled as ASTM F803 approved. This labels denotes that the eyewear is performance-tested to give you the best protection.
• Youth baseball players should always use batting helmets that have polycarbonate face shields.
• All hockey players should use helmets and face shields approved by the U.S. Amateur Hockey Association.
• Regular glasses simply do not provide enough protection

Prevent Blindness America recommends that athletes wear eyeguards whenever they participate in sports. Neither prescription glasses, sunglasses nor occupational safety glasses provide adequate protection.

Prevent Blindness America has created an excellent factsheet with information on the appropriate protective eyewear for various sports activities in which eye damage is common. Download the Sports Eye Protection Factsheet here.

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