According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), thousands of children suffer sports-related eye injuries each year. Family Vision Center is helping Bridgeport elementary students keep a healthy eye on the ball this month by educating parents on the importance of using proper protective eye wear when playing sports and seeking regular eye exams.

The National Eye Institute cites that ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries can be avoided by simply using protective eye wear. Since most youth sports leagues don’t currently require the use of eye protection, it’s up to parents and coaches to insist that protective eye wear is not just a recommendation, but a requirement.

Dr. Shawn Burns, optometrist at Family Vision Center, emphasizes the use of proper safety glasses and goggles, safety shields and eye guards designed for the particular sport a student is playing.

“When playing sports it is recommended to wear eye wear with an impact-resistant lens material such as polycarbonate,” Burns said. “Eyeglass frames and lenses that are not safety-rated and made from this ultra-strong material can shatter or break upon impact and damage the eyes or face causing serious injuries.”

In addition to the use of protective eye wear, making sure each child has strong vision also impacts the athlete’s safety and success. Can your child:

• Throw a ball into a hoop? (see from far away)
• See a ball from a distance? (depth perception)
• See a ball coming from the side? (wide field of vision)
• Catch a ball? (hand-eye coordination)

If your child seems to be lacking in one or more of these vision skills, please call your local optometrist office and schedule an eye exam for your child today. If visual skills are not adequate, both the child and his or her peers are put in danger. Correction of vision problems with eyeglasses or contact lenses, or a program of eye exercises called vision therapy can correct many vision problems, enhance vision skills and improve sports vision performance.

Thanks to our valued partnership with Bridgeport elementary schools, local parents and students are working to ensure that every athlete gears up to make protective eye wear and regular eye exams part of every uniform.