Sports eye protection from eyewear

In recent years, coaches, parents and players have gradually realized the importance of eye protection during sports. Eyewear specifically designed for protecting eyes is currently one of the fastest growing segments of eye care industry. Some of the protective glasses were designed for professional athletes originally. However, many people who are not professional athletes now also use them to protect eyes.

Protective eyewear has been widely accepted

In fact, most of athletic and fitness clubs require their members to participate in sports and related trainings with proper eye gear. Sports goggles are even treated as a part of everyday life, though there was much resistance to protective eyewear among children. In addition, both children and adults like to wear protective eyewear because this image means that they are busy on the playing field.

What are dangerous factors during sports?

As Prevent Blindness America reported, hospital emergency rooms in the United States treat more than 40,000 eye injuries every year. Sports such as racquetball, tennis ball and badminton are also dangerous, because they move at 60 miles per hour or faster. Flying objects are not the only dangerous things. Pokes and jabs by fingers and elbows in games where players contact closely, such as basketball, swimming, football and so on, are other reasons for eye injuries.

Paintball and handball are two dangerous sports

The American Journal of Ophthalmology in February of 2009 released a study about eye injuries associated with playing paintball. More than 80 percent of injured patients need eye surgery, and only 36 percent can recover normal eyesight. Handball is also a sport that brings extreme risk of eye injuries. In this team game, players try to score by throwing a ball with their hands. In this case, any part of the body of other players is under attack. And the eyes are extremely vulnerable if no protective eyewear is used.

Lenses and frame of sports eyewear

There are many reasons for wearing protective eyewear, such as enhancing performance, improving vision, protecting the eyes and so on. In different sizes and shapes, sports goggles are made for a variety of sports, including racquet sports, basketball and soccer. Sports eyewear lenses usually are made of polycarbonate because of their impact-resistant features. Besides that, the frame of eyewear also plays an important role. Different sports need different frames, thus there are many kinds of frames designed for certain sports. In addition, some sports such as biking, hang-gliding and sailing need goggles to help keep out wind and dust.

Make the frame is fit in size

Sports goggles must properly fit wearers especially children. Some parents prefer to buy a larger one for their children so that they have “room to grow”. This is not encouraged. Generally speaking, room to grow is acceptable. However, too large goggles will not protect children well, thus increasing the risk of suffering eye injury. At the same time, it is also dangerous that kids wear small goggles. Parents must check children’s goggles every year to ensure that they are still fit in size.