When it comes to sports, everyone talks about physical fitness, agility, flexibility, mental balance and concentration and what not. However, eye protection is one aspect of sports that is often either overlooked or gets lesser importance than what it deserves. It is common to wear a helmet, pads, and braces to protect your head, bones, and teeth. Sometimes you would not mind extra gears to prevent bruising and concussions. But an Eye Sports gear is the last thing that you would think of. An eye protection gear may not look cool but it serves an important purpose to guard the most sensitive and delicate organ, your eyes. Eye protectors safeguard your eyes, improve your vision even in the odd circumstances, and enhance your focus and overall performance. For many reasons wearing eye protection for sportsmen is crucial and should be done at a higher priority.
- Knowing risks associated with the eye in sports
Just like physical injuries such as bruises and broken bones, eye injuries are also common for sportspersons. Studies and surveys were done in America have brought about alarming figures related to eye injuries. It is observed that approximately a hundred thousand sports eye injuries are registered every year. Among these, a minimum of forty-two thousand needs emergency treatment and every third case has children involved in it. Although contact sports like boxing, rugby, martial arts, etc are popular for such injuries. Sports involving the use of bats, rackets, and sticks to hit flying objects like balls, and shuttlecock also have added danger. It is important to understand that other injuries like bruising and even bone injuries can be treated with no life-changing effect. But eye injuries are more serious and can cause even permanent damage.
- Ideal protection for different sports
So, what should I wear to protect my eyes? The answer is not straightforward rather it depends on the sports you choose to play. Whether you are a professional player, a beginner, or a kid playing just for fun, you need the apt protection gear to prevent eye injuries during the game. Here are the kinds of protection you need for some popular sports.
- Baseball: Use goggles or eye guards along with a robust face guard made of plastic or polycarbonate that would prevent injury at the side of the eyes and entire face.
- Basketball: It does not need heavy protection gear but putting up goggles will prevent the ball or a strike from other players to directly hit your eyes.
- Football: Often an eye guard is enough to shield the eyes for football players but you can also wear a full face guard for added protection.
- Tennis: Goggles are good to protect your eyes from a direct hit by a mishit ball and also keep your eyes safe from elements.
- Water sports and skiing: These sports subject your eyes to harsh elements like salty seawater, chlorinated pool water, snow, etc. You should use specialized glasses to prevent any harm caused to your eyes.
Choosing the right eye protection gear is vital. You should look for the eye guards that are suitable for the sport of your interest and buy them from certified sports dealers only. Make sure you get cushioning at the nose edges and brows to prevent scratches on your face.
