Sept. 1, 2023 — To educate the public on the risk of significant eye injuries and the need for proper eye protection when playing sports, Prevent Blindness has declared September as Sports Eye Safety Month. The nonprofit offers a variety of free educational resources like a dedicated webpage, fact sheets, and shareable social media graphics eyecare professionals can use to educate their patients.
 
According to annual data collected by Prevent Blindness, there were more than 32,000 sports-related eye injuries treated in the U.S. last year, an increase of nearly 20% from 2021. Non-powder guns, darts, arrows, and slingshots continue to be the category with the overall highest rate of injuries. For children ages 14 and under, pools and water sports had the highest rate of injuries. Treated injuries included blunt trauma, penetrating injuries, eye infections, and corneal scratches and abrasions. Further, the National Eye Institute found that wearing the right protective gear can prevent 9 out of 10 sports-related eye injuries.
 
A new episode of the Focus on Eye Health Expert Series, “Sports Eye Safety,” features Prevent Blindness president and CEO Jeff Todd interviewing Keith Smithson, O.D., of Northern Virginia Doctors of Optometry and Sports Vision Pros.
 
“A sports-related eye injury can happen in an instant, but the effects may last a lifetime,” said Todd. “Team up with your eye doctor to find the best sports eye protection to help keep you in the game today and save your sight for the future.”
 
For more information: preventblindness.org.