Your Health

Sports Eyewear A Must For Student Athletes

Posted 10/15/2010

(NAPSI)-Each year, approximately 200,000 eye injuries related to sports occur among children. Ninety percent of these incidents, however, could be prevented through the use of protective sports eyewear.

Eye injuries represent the leading cause of blindness in children. Common sports eye injuries for children can range from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lid to internal eye injuries, such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding.

An eye care professional can help you identify specific eyewear to protect your child from unnecessary eye injuries. The Vision Council recommends that parents look for safety glasses, goggles, safety shields and eye guards with:

• Polycarbonate lenses, a type of clear plastic that is impact resistant;

• 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection and a scratch-resistant coating;

• Padded or rubber bridges for comfort;

• Deep-grooved eyewires to keep the lenses from falling out if the frame is hit hard;

• A face-formed shape to provide a wider field of view;

• Headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping.

Visit www.thevisioncouncil.org/consumers to check out The Vision Council's guide, "Eye Safety At-a-Glance: Protecting Your Child's Vision in Sports."