Children’s Eye Safety in Sports:
Tips for Parents & Teachers
You’re a parent. Of course you wake up your entire family before the sun rises on a Saturday to brave the elements for hours and watch your kids play soccer.
Joking aside, sports teach our children valuable lessons and important life skills. But team uniforms often don’t cut it when it comes to protecting your children’s health. More specifically, their eye health.
Did you know? Eye injuries are the leading cause of vision loss in children. Unfortunately, most of these injuries happen while playing sports due to lack of proper protection.
Which sports cause the most eye injuries?
While accidents can happen in any sport, some sports have a higher risk for eye injuries than others.
Basketball sits at the top of the leaderboard for sports that cause the most eye injuries in children, with baseball and softball coming in at a close second.
Other sports with a high risk of eye injury include:
- Hockey
- Fencing
- Racquetball
- Soccer
- Paintball
- Mountain biking
- Golf
- Tennis
Luckily, most sports-related eye injuries are preventable with the right protective eyewear.
What kind of protective eyewear does my child need for sports?
Regular eyewear, like everyday eyeglasses and sunglasses, won’t protect children from sports-related eye injuries. In fact, they could make an injury worse if they were to shatter.
Protective eyewear made specifically for athletes is made of shatter-resistant plastic that can withstand high impact and harsh elements.
Most protective eyewear can also be made to suit your child’s necessary prescriptions, ensuring a better experience all-around.
Depending on the sport, protective options can include safety goggles, face guards, and specific eyewear created for specific sports.
When selecting protective eyewear for your child, try to select options that also include UV protection, especially for sports played in outdoor facilities, to protect your child’s eyes from sun damage.
Over time, too much sun exposure can lead to eye-related injuries or serious eye diseases.
How can I protect my child’s eyes?
The best way to ensure your children’s eye safety in sports is to speak to an eye doctor.
At Monocle, we can examine your child’s eyes, fit them for sports protective eyewear, and order the proper protective equipment, made with their prescription.
The Monocle Premier Eye Care team offers years of experience and a true commitment to providing you and your family with excellent care.
Click here to schedule your child’s eye exam.