Protecting your child's eye during fall sports

August 25, 2010

Every year there are approximately 200,000 eye injuries related to sports that occur among school-aged children, according to NapsNet.com. The vast majority of these injuries could be prevented if parents arm their children with protective eyewear.

As the new school year approaches, many boys and girls will enlist in a fall sport. Whether they are joining the football team or the golf club, your student should wear protective eyewear to ensure that their vision remains safe and sound while they play.

For sports that require a lot of motion, such as football or lacrosse, students should wear glasses that protect their eyes from bumps and falls. For sports like baseball and golf, youngsters need to protect their eyes from flying objects that could cause damage.

Youngsters who will be playing outside should also guard their eyes from the sun. UV rays can be very harmful to a young person's eyes, and could cause permanent damage, particularly if students are near concrete or water, which reflects light.

To protect a young person's eyes from the sun, the American Optometric Association recommends sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.