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How to Protect Your Child’s Eyes from Sports Injuries

Image from mochadad
Image from mochadad

The long, record-breaking winter of 2015 is finally over – and that means spring is finally here!  Along with the warm sunshine and green grass, spring comes with the arrival of outdoor sports, including baseball and tennis.  Unfortunately, the arrival of the spring sports season comes with increased risks for recreation-related eye injuries.

Spring sports often come with the greatest risk for eye injuries.  Baseball, basketball, and racquet sports (including tennis and squash) have the highest rates of eye injuries, while full-contact sports like boxing and martial arts often have eye injuries with the most severe consequences (including blindness).   That’s why it’s vital for you to protect your child’s eyes from injury risks, no matter what sport they might play.

So how can you keep your child’s eyes protected?

  1. Ensure that your child has all the protection they need for the sport they play. Helmets and protective sports goggles can ensure your child’s eyes remain protected should he or she get hit with flying debris or a ball.
  1. Make sure your child has a pair of back-up eyeglasses or contact lenses in case his or her primary eyeglasses become broken or the lenses fall out.
  1. Don’t underestimate the risk of eye injuries for sports that may not seem as risky. For example, the U.S. Eye Injury Registry has shown that fishing (!) is the biggest cause of sports-related eye injuries.
  1. Make sure your child undergoes regular eye exams during every sports season. This can help ensure that your child’s vision and eye health remains protected while playing high-risk sports and activities.
  1. Don’t assume that eyeglasses are sufficient protection for your child. Even if your child wears eyeglasses, make sure that he or she wears protective goggles when playing sports.

If your child experiences an eye injury on or off the field, schedule an emergency appointment with Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths at NewView Eye Center in Reston, Virginia.  Dr. Griffiths can help treat sports-related eye injuries, as well as provide parents with the guidance they need to keep kids happy and healthy while they play.

NewView Eye Center serves the greater Washington, DC metro area. Call us today at 703-834-9777 to learn more about our protective eyewear.