September is
Sports Eye Injury Awareness Month
Chicago—Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has
designated September as Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month.
PBA is teaming up with the Coalition to Prevent Sports Eye
Injuries and sports eyewear manufacturer Liberty Sport to provide consumers and
eye-care professionals free information and materials through the “September is
Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness Month” campaign.
“More than half of all children participate in organized sports,
but most youth sports leagues do not require the use of proper eye protection,”
said Paul Berman, OD, chairman of the Coalition to Prevent Sports
Eye Injuries. “Through this partnership, it is our goal to educate parents and
coaches on the importance of requiring kids to use sports eye-safety wear
during practice and during the game.”
• Never wear regular
eyeglasses while playing sports because they may shatter upon impact. Only wear
prescription protective sports eyewear fitted by an eye-care professional.
• Sports eye protectors
should be padded or cushioned along the brow and bridge of the nose. Padding
will prevent them from cutting the skin.
• Athletes who have
monocular vision or diminished vision in one eye should always wear sports eye
protectors recommended by an eye doctor.
• All sports eye
protection should have 100% ultraviolet protection.
• Polycarbonate lenses
must be used with protectors that meet or exceed the requirements of the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Each sport has a specific
ASTM code.
For more information on
sports eye injury prevention and information on sport-specific eye protection
recommendations, visit www.preventblindness.org/sports-eye-safety.
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