Vision Source Mandan Blog

Improve Your Game With Sports Eyewear

Wearing the right eye protection can prevent an estimated 90% of eye injuries.

In the US alone, that one simple precaution would prevent 27,000 out of the 30,000 yearly sports-related eye injuries. Eye protection isn’t only for welders or construction workers; it can be life-changing for athletes.

Which Sports Are the Biggest Eye Safety Risk?

No matter what sport you play, protective eyewear should be included in your gear, but some sports are more hazardous to eye safety than others. The most dangerous are shooting sports such as paintball and airsoft, followed by racket sports and soccer. Bringing up the rear are sports like archery, swimming, lacrosse, football, hockey, and snow sports such as snowboarding and skiing.

Finding the Best Eye Protection for Your Sport

It’s not too difficult to find specialized goggles or face masks for most contact sports, particularly the popular ones. If your particular sport doesn’t have them, a good all-purpose option is polycarbonate goggles. These goggles can fit over glasses, they are stronger than normal plastic, and they resist shattering. It is sometimes possible to get prescription goggles so that your glasses can stay behind in your locker during your games and practices.

Eye Protection Can Be Tricky in Some Sports

It can be harder to protect our eyes when we play sports like water polo, in which protective goggles can actually become a hazard. If a flying elbow in the water sends goggles into the eyes, it could cause worse damage. Stay updated on USA Water Polo’s guidelines on what protective gear you should use if you require corrective lenses to see while playing, but this sport is the rare case where no goggles is the safer option for most players.

Outdoor Activities and Eye Protection

Not all athleticism is about team sports; you might be into outdoor adventuring in the form of hiking, mountain biking, skiing, or snowboarding. The primary concern here is UV protection, not only impact resistance. Look for a good pair of UV-blocking goggles and experiment with different tints and polarized lenses to see which type is most helpful for your situation. Some colors are better at improving contrast; polarized lenses eliminate glare. These goggles can dramatically improve your ability to see the terrain.

We Can Help You Find the Best Eye Protection Gear

All the different types and brands of eye protection can seem overwhelming. Luckily, we can offer recommendations to help our patients navigate them. We want you to have the best protective gear to help you safely enjoy the sports and activities you love. If you do experience an eye injury, make sure to go straight to the emergency room or eye doctor. The sooner you get treatment, the better the results will be.

Have fun, but don’t forget to stay safe!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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My annual eye exam is always an excellent experience with Dr. Danielle Dyke. The exam is always thorough, and Dr. Dyke takes the time to explain my eye health in a way I can understand. The Vision Source eye clinic is modern, clean, and the staff is very welcoming. I always feel comfortable and well-cared for at my appointment. I highly recommend Dr. Dyke and Vision Source!

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Dr. Schauer did an amazing job getting my eye infection cleared up. As I sat in my room waiting my turn, because I had a last minute appointment, I could hear her working with a family next door that had young kids.

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Whenever I have had eye issues, they have made efforts to get me in asap. Which I really appreciate. I have had Dr. Aberle and Dr. Dyke and they are both excellent. Recently, I saw Dr. Aberle for a chronic eye problem in one eye & he fixed the problem. Honestly, it felt like a miracle. The office staff is also very pleasant to deal with.

Sheila S.

I've literally been a lifelong customer since 5th grade when it was Dr. Little! Dr. Schauer has taken over since Dr. Little retired. It's always a good, friendly experience with all of the staff there. I've never had a bad experience.

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The front desk people are very nice and friendly got called in to see Wayne before my appointment time Vision Source has very friendly staff and the clinic is very clean will always be a patient to Vision Source.

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I was greeted by the front desk very efficiently. The person who did the first part of my history and did the testing like the little spritz in my eyes, etc, was very good. I really like my eye doctor, I feel that I get all my questions answered as well as she explains what she is seeing when she is examining my eyes.

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