The American Academy of Ophthalmology has designated April Sports Eye Safety Month. They have done this to draw attention to the importance of keeping your eyes safe while playing.
Sports are an essential part of most cultures and are a fantastic way to get some exercise, have fun, and blow off steam.
But, sports carry an inherent risk of injury. Almost 40,000 eye injuries occur each year as a result of playing sports.
While sports injuries conjure images of broken bones or concussions, don’t overlook eye injuries. They can often be the most damaging and challenging to treat.
Keep reading to learn more about safe eyes while playing and sports safety month.
Basketball is one of the leading causes of eye-related injuries in sports. Eye injuries cost the NBA around 2.4 million dollars on average.
Baseball, hockey, and airsoft rifles are also leading contributors to eye-related sports injuries. Recently as MMA has grown in popularity, combat sports have contributed more to the eye injury statistics.
Common injuries from sports include:
Corneal Abrasion
Corneal abrasion is a scratch to the surface of the cornea. It causes pain in the eye and light sensitivity. You treat corneal abrasions with an antibiotic ointment applied directly to the eye.
Eye doctors typically require a 24-hour follow-up, but most patients fully recover within days.
Globe Rupture
A globe rupture is a rupture in the structure of the eyeball. Common causes are penetration of the eye or blunt force trauma that increases pressure inside the eye to the point of rupture.
Globe ruptures can cause eye deformity, pain, and instant vision loss. Immediate treatment may save vision.
Typically a rupture requires surgical intervention, and in some cases, patients have to take medication to prevent vomiting. Vomiting can increase the pressure further, which makes the damage worse.
Retinal Detachment
The retina is the light-sensitive tissue inside the eye. It can detach from the eye’s interior wall, which causes blindness, pain, and flashes of light.
Immediate surgery may be necessary to save your vision. Also, pressure can worsen retinal detachments, so patients should avoid rubbing their eyes.
Retrobulbar Hematoma
Retrobulbar hematoma is damage to the arteries inside your eye. Bleeding inside the eye can lead to hemorrhaging, which can cause a spike in internal eye pressure.
Too much pressure inside your eye can lead to vision loss. Generally, it causes eye pain and eyelids that feel tight.
You must treat retrobulbar hematoma with emergency surgery. You must have surgery within two hours of the injury to prevent permanent damage.
As long as the injury isn’t too severe and you seek treatment immediately, most eye injuries are not too harmful. But, it is never a guarantee that your vision will make it.
That’s why preventing eye injuries from occurring in the first place is far superior. The easiest way to prevent eye injuries is to wear appropriate protective equipment.
Here are some simple pieces of protective equipment to prevent common sports eye injuries:
In general, it is best to cover your face as much as possible when playing sports.
All the prevention techniques in the world won’t stop accidents from happening. But they will reduce the likelihood of them happening to you.
Schedule an appointment with Vision Care of Maine in Bangor, ME, to discuss eye protection for your favorite sport with your eye doctor.
Looking for a way to spice things up this summer? How about for the rest of your life? LASIK can change your life by giving you freedom from glasses and contacts.
Summer is the perfect time to experience this! There are infinite possibilities to enjoy your summer after LASIK, but here are a few to get you started!
Nothing says summer vacation like traveling. If you’re getting LASIK, that means you’ve likely graduated or working.
Even taking a long weekend to go out of state and enjoy somewhere warmer is a classic summer staple. With the added benefit of LASIK, it could be the most memorable trip of your life!
Not having to worry about forgetting your glasses or contacts is a prime LASIK benefit. No matter where you go, you will always have your eyesight with you.
That level of peace of mind is priceless and will allow you to stay in the moment during your adventures.
Looking to get in shape this summer? Not everyone likes to go to the gym, but if you can play a game while exercising, it becomes much easier to stay active!
The only thing is, if you need to wear glasses, sports become much more complicated and much less fun.
Glasses can break or get knocked off of your face. Contacts are uncomfortable the longer you keep them in. They become more frustrating and dry your eyes out at the same time.
Without them, you can’t see what you are doing. LASIK gives you the ability to be more competitive, which can encourage you to stay fit and feel better.
Of course, you can’t talk about summer without talking about going to the beach. It is the quintessential summer experience, offering fun, relaxation, and adventure.
All that can be easily found in one place! Whether you’re splashing around or sunbathing, the beach is the best in the summer!
But the beach is also hazardous to glasses and contacts. Those waves you’re swimming in will sweep away your glasses before you blink.
The soft sand you’re sunbathing on will scratch your glasses or it could damage your contacts! Forget taking to the sky and paragliding if you need to worry about losing your glasses.
The best part about LASIK is that it gives you options. Even if you don’t like the beach, it’s still nice to know that you can enjoy it if you wanted to.
LASIK gives you the freedom to be who you want to be. You don’t have to hide behind your glasses or jab contacts in your eyes anymore. That’s a big change all by itself!
Setting up a LASIK consultation is the first step towards gaining vision freedom. Set one up today at Vision Care of Maine in Bangor, ME and start your summer with clarity!
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