Eye Experts Say Protective Eyewear Would Prevent Most Sports-Related Eye Injuries

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  (7/18, Kelly) reports, “More than 600,000 Americans will suffer an eye injury while playing a sport this year,” according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). “Of these, about 42,000 will be serious enough to require treatment in a hospital emergency room.” But, “more than 90 percent of these injuries could be prevented if the athletes were wearing protective eyewear, say the NEI and the national associations of ophthalmologists and optometrists.” Regular eyeglasses are no substitute for impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses. Ideally, the glasses should completely cover the eye socket, particularly for those who play basketball.