Youth Sports with a High Risk For Eye Injury

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With thousands of children from across the country gearing up for summer sports, it's important for parents to remember the importance of proper eye protection. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission , there are approximately 100,000 sports-related eye injuries each year, 42,000 of which are serious enough to merit emergency room treatment and over 13,000 result in blindness.

Taking preventive measures such as investing in a pair of protective sports goggles, can help protect your child from sports-related eye injury. It's important to note, however, that the risk of eye injury varies depending on the type of sport. To learn more about which sports are considered “high risk” and which ones are “low risk,” keep reading.

Sports with High Risk for Eye Injury:

Baseball

Softball

Lacrosse

Hockey

Racquetball

Squash

Fencing

Basketball

Sports with a Moderate Risk for Eye Injury:

Tennis

Badminton

Soccer

Volleyball

Water polo

Football

Fishing

Sports with a Low Risk for Eye Injury:

Swimming

Diving

Skiing

Wrestling

Cycling

About the Risk Assessment

The risk assessment listed above was created by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).The common denominator in the high-risk category is the presence of fast flying projectiles. Whether it's a ball, puck or the tip of fencing sword, each of these sports feature some type of fast projectile. When these projectiles make their way into a player's eye, it can result in serious injury.

Parents need to step up to the plate (no pun intended) to ensure their children are given the appropriate safety equipment to minimize the likelihood of eye injury. Placing your trust in the coach doesn't always work, which is something that many parents have learned the hard way.

How to Protect Your Child From Sports-Related Eye Injury

The AAO reports that 90% of all sports-related eye injuries are preventable. The single most important step in protecting your child from such injuries is to invest in a pair of protective sports goggles featuring impact resistant polycarbonate lenses. Children who wear prescription glasses and/or contacts should also wear goggles with the appropriate lenses fitted to them.