While many people enjoy playing sports for their entertainment as well as their health, proper eye protection is often forgotten. While many people think of shin pads, knee pads, or helmets as safety gear, we rarely see protective eye gear, even from professional athletes. This is a huge oversight, as your eyes are highly susceptible to damage and some injuries can even result in permanent vision loss. This is a high price to pay considering a simple pair of safety glasses is all that is needed to prevent many injuries. Here are some common sports injuries that can be prevented with the right safety gear, such as helmets and safety glasses.
Types Of Sports-Related Injuries
Concussions
A concussion is a type of brain injury caused by hitting or bumping the head. When the head suffers an abrupt impact, the brain suddenly moves forward and back and can hit the skull, causing a concussion. These injuries can range in severity, but a common sign of a concussion is changes in vision, including blurred vision, dizziness or seeing stars, sensitivity to light, and eye strain. Severe concussions can cause double vision or even blindness. Concussions are most common in contact sports such as football and rugby, but a fast-moving projectile striking a player can also cause a concussion.
Blunt Force Trauma
Sudden impact can cause damage to the eye or the surrounding area. Black eyes, a form of bruise around the eye can result from blunt force trauma and are caused by bleeding in the eyelid. Black eyes will commonly swell, making it difficult to see out of the afflicted eye. Blunt force trauma can cause other, more serious injuries, such as damage to the eye itself. The eye can rupture or the retina can become detached, both of which are severe medical injuries that require emergency eye care. Blunt force trauma can also cause the bones in the skull around the eye to break, which will also require a trip to the emergency room.
Abrasions
This is often caused by a piece of debris entering the eye and scratching the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye. This injury is common for sports that are played in dusty areas such as baseball, or in sports where the opponent's hands can come close to another player's eyes, risking corneal scratches from fingernails or sport equipment.
Penetration
If something penetrates the eye, it could lead to a temporary or even permanent loss of vision. This can be caused by contact with another player, flying debris, or other accidents, and it is a serious medical condition that requires immediate emergency care.
Photokeratitis
Outdoor sports such as outdoor soccer, beach volleyball, snowboarding, or surfing commonly lead to photokeratitis, which is essentially a sunburn of the eyes. Worried about impairing their sightlines or focus, some players choose to avoid protective eyewear without thinking about the effects of UV exposure and potential sunburn of the eyes. This injury is even more common for sports involving water or snow, as UV rays are reflected off of the water and become intensified. Photokeratitis can cause blurry vision, light sensitivity, a gritty sensation in the eyes, headaches, twitching eyelids, pain or redness in the eyes, or excessive tearing.
Protect Your Eyes From Sports Injuries With Prescription Safety Glasses
If you plan on participating in sports, wearing safety glasses is an easy way to protect your eye health. Regular eyeglasses are not enough to protect your eyes from potential damage and may actually put your eyes at increased risk if the lens shatters or you suffer an injury while wearing contact lenses. Instead, choose prescription goggles designed for sports. Blink Eyewear offers prescription safety glasses that are designed for ultimate fit and comfort and are impact resistant and UV blocking. Blink Eyewear offers prescription goggles for all sports including skiing, shooting, and more. Speak to one of our Calgary optometrists about which prescription goggles are right for you and your sports needs.
With three convenient locations in Crowfoot in NW Calgary, West Springs in SW Calgary, and Creekside in NW Calgary, Blink Eyewear can offer you great optometry services throughout the city. To book an appointment with Blink Eyewear, call 1-403-516-2292 or fill out the online contact form.
