Nearly all eye injuries are preventable. With many eye injuries occurring during sports and recreational activities, knowing how to keep your eyes safe during play is important. Here we look at some ways you can keep your eyes safe from damage during sporting activities:

Knowing the threats

The biggest threat to your eyes during play are high-speed ball games such as baseball, squash, hockey, soccer, and basketball.  Full contact sports and martial arts can also pose a threat to your eyes if not properly protected. To avoid eye damage, you will need to wear the appropriate eye protection.

Choosing the right protection

If you regularly wear eyeglasses, you can purchase protective glasses or face shields that attach to most sport helmets. Otherwise, prescription sport goggles can also be used instead of your glasses. If you prefer to wear contact lenses, these can also be an excellent option. They won’t easily slide or adjust when in play, and you can get a much better range of view. Whatever you prefer, just remember that your regular glasses don’t carry enough protection.

Being prepared

It’s always wise to be prepared, but we can’t always avoid situations where we forget our protective eyewear. Even if you forget your sport eyewear or contacts, it may be worth considering sitting out instead of playing with poor vision. You don’t want to end up injuring yourself or anyone else.

How to treat an injury

If you do happen to have a sport-related eye injury, stop play and see a doctor immediately, especially if you begin to experience pain, blurry vision, blood, or discolouration. Continuing to play will only make matters worse. If you experience a blow to the eye, apply a cold compress immediately. If there’s a cut to your eye, wash out your eye with water or eyewash solution and apply a rigid shield. Taking simple initial steps to treat the injury can help combat any further damage.

Your eyes are precious and protecting them with the right safety gear should always be a priority. Knowing what the threats are, the safety options, and how to treat an injury can help you keep your eyes safe from harm. If you’re not sure of the best options for your eyes, contact your Laurier Optical Innes Eye Clinic – we can help you find the right fit.