Vision Source Mandan Blog

The Importance of Eye Protection for Athletes

An estimated 90% of eye injuries are preventable if the right eye protection is worn.

That means that 27,000 out of 30,000 sports-related eye injuries in America could be avoided by taking this one simple precaution. You might think of eye protection as something for welders or construction workers, but clearly, it’s just as important for athletes.

The Most Dangerous Sports for Eye Health

Eyewear should be part of your protective gear no matter what sport you play, but not all sports are equally hazardous to the eye. The most dangerous are shooting sports like airsoft and paintball. Next up are racket sports and soccer, and then it’s sports like archery, swimming, lacrosse, hockey, football, and snow sports like skiing and snowboarding.

How to Choose the Best Eye Protection

For most contact sports, especially popular ones, it’s not too difficult to find specialized goggles or face masks. If none exists for the sport you play, polycarbonate goggles are a great all-purpose option. They can fit over glasses, are stronger than ordinary plastic, and are shatter-resistant. Sometimes you can even get prescription goggles so that you can leave your glasses safely in your locker during practices and games.

Some Sports Make Eye Protection Tricky

Sports like water polo make it more difficult to protect our eyes. Protective goggles can actually become a hazard during a water polo game. All those flying hands, feet, and elbows at roughly eye level in the water could send the goggles into the eyes and cause even worse damage. Keep an eye on USA Water Polo’s guidelines for protective gear if you need corrective lenses to see the game, but most players will be safer without goggles.

Eye Protection for Outdoor Activities

Athleticism doesn’t always mean team sports; sometimes it means outdoor adventuring in the form of hiking, mountain biking, skiing, or snowboarding. In these cases, the primary concern is UV protection, not just impact resistance. Find a good pair of UV-blocking goggles, and take a look at different color tints or polarized lenses to see which is most helpful for what you need. Some are great for improving contrast or eliminating glare, and they can really help you see the terrain better.

Let Us Help You Find Your Eye Protection Gear!

It can be daunting to navigate all the different types and brands of eye protection, but we can help! We’re happy to offer recommendations to our patients so that you can get the best protective gear for the sports you love. And always remember that if an eye injury does happen, go straight to the eye doctor or the emergency room. Faster treatment means better results.

Stay safe while you play!

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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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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