September is Sports Eye Safety Month - Bella Eye Care Optometry

It is estimated that 40,000 sports-related eye injuries occur every year – 90 percent of which can be prevented. For Sports Eye Safety Month, Friends for Sight urges you and your family to use proper eye protection while participating in sports and other physical activity. From basketball to baseball, and from swimming to skiing, the risk of eye injury can vary, but in all sports and activity, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced by simply using protective eyewear.

To reduce the risk of eye injury, we recommend wearing protective eyewear made of an ultra-strong polycarbonate, a highly impact-resistant plastic. In fact, polycarbonate is 10 times more impact resistant than other plastics.5 Eye protection is most important for those sports that involve small, high-velocity projectiles. However, no matter the risk category of the sport, all athletes are encouraged to wear protective eyewear appropriate to their sport.

Prevent Blindness recommends:

• Regular eyeglasses should never be worn while playing a sport, as they may shatter upon impact.
• Players who wear eyeglasses should use prescription protective sports eyewear fitted by an eye care professional.
• Sports eyewear should have padding or cushioning along the brow and bridge of the nose to prevent cuts to the skin.
• Athletes who have diminished vision in one eye should wear sports eye protectors as recommended by an eye care professional

September has been designated at Sports Eye Safety Month and we not only want you and your children to be safe but carry the proper eyeglasses and lenses that can help any weekend or professional athlete see their best and be safe too.  Stop into Bella Eye Care Optometry today and let us show you how to play your best while protecting your eyes too.