Be a Good Sport and Promote Eye Safety in April

April is Sports Eye Safety Month, an obscure observance that may easily fall off your radar – unless you’ve been affected by a serious sports-related eye injury. Each year, roughly 100,000 Americans are hurt by eye injuries related to sports, with the most frequent coming from basketball and baseball. In support of Sports Eye Safety Month this April, Michigan Eye Institute reminds young and old athletes everywhere that most of these injuries can be avoided by simply wearing proper protection.

General eye care is important and education is key. The most common types of eye injuries are blunt trauma (when an object hits you in the eye), penetrating injuries (when an object cuts you r eye), and radiation injuries (caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun).

Before playing a high-risk sport, be sure to invest into plain or prescriptive polycarbonate lenses that are impact resistant. Athletes can find lenses as thin and light as 3-mm. When choosing the perfect pair, look for a durable frame design that will withstand the impact of a ball. A popular choice for basketball is a shield design like this:

Additionally, you want to check for temple and bridge-of-nose padding, a comfortable sports band, and full eye coverage.

If you have any questions and would like to speak with an eye specialist in southeastern Michigan directly, you can contact Michigan Eye Institute today at (810) 733-7111. We have 5 convenient locations in Flint, Lapeer, Grand Blanc, Fenton, and Oxford!