Avoiding Common Eye Injuries While Playing Sports

The eye is one of the most advanced parts of human physiology. According to scientists and researchers, only the brain is more complex than the eye. This is easy to understand, as eyes have the ability to distinguish around 10 million different shades of color and can focus on around 50 different items in your vicinity every single second. Such a powerful organ needs to be properly protected. When you live an active lifestyle and engage in a good amount of physical activity on a regular basis, prescription sports glasses might be the best investment for your needs.

Whether you’re involved with athletics in a casual or competitive way, you need to think about how the gear you wear impacts your health and wellness. Take a moment to consider these facts and learn more about how you can properly protect your eyes from harm.

Blunt Impact 

Playing sports can take many forms. For some, baseball is the preferred game. Others enjoy running up and down the field in a game of soccer. Whatever your favorite mode of exercise through play tends to be, you need to stay mindful of the various problems that can arise. One of the most common injuries in all sports is blunt trauma. When the eye or eyebrow region is impacted forcefully, it can lead to a serious sports-related injury to the eyes. The most common and least severe result of this is a black eye, caused by bleeding in the eyelid.

Though some of the injuries related to this scenario are minor, a more intense blow to the head can lead to serious problems like a detached retina, ruptured eye, or a situation where a part of the skull is broken or fractured around the eyeball. When you want to focus on eye safety, you need to think about how the right eyewear can protect you from sudden impacts.

Abrasion

Some injuries to the eyes can happen in more subtle circumstances. Most sports are played outdoors where it is difficult to control or contain the dirt, dust, and debris found blowing around in the environment. When a particle of dust gets into the eye, it can cause irritation and more serious problems for a person. A corneal abrasion happens when the outer surface of the eye is scratched. Whether this is from your own fingernail or a piece of dirt, it can lead to more serious infections and problems if left untreated.

Shielding your eyes with the most durable safety glasses can help limit the odds of a corneal abrasion. However, irritation to the eye should always be looked at by a doctor right away. Neglecting an abrasion can cause far more severe issues for your vision.

Burns

A chemical burn is a common eye injury that many athletes do not realize they are susceptible to. For the most part, chemical interactions with the eye are most commonplace in lab and manufacturing settings. Still, there are scenarios where an athlete might take on such an injury. The paints and powders used to add lines and markings to playing fields can easily come in contact with a player’s eyes during a game or practice. Should this occur, the chemicals might lead to burning, irritation, or even blindness in some more serious cases.

The obvious solution to this is to immediately rinse the eyes out with sterile saline or water. Still, investing in the right glasses can minimize the damage that you see in the event of this interaction.

Penetration

Perhaps one of the more obvious potential threats, any item that penetrates the eye is going to cause serious damage. Should a small shard of broken glass be present in the air for one reason or another, it risks hitting a player’s eye and causing massive damage. The practical solution to this is to make sure you are wearing prescription sports glasses that fully protect the eyes and shield them from debris in the air.

Sun Damage

Finally, the sun can play a huge part in the health of your eyes. The longer you are exposed to UV-A and UV-B rays, the more susceptible you are to conditions like macular degeneration, cataracts, and diminished vision. Wearing a brimmed cap can provide a bit of shade, but you definitely want to make sure you are using protective eyewear like sunglasses. This helps to diminish the dangers caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight.