The impact of a
ball or other equipment as well as an
opponent's hands and elbows pose a threat to
an athlete's visual safety. According to a
2001 report by Prevent Blindness of America,
there are over 38,000 sports-related eye
injuries requiring costly emergency room
care.
This number could potentially
skyrocket when you consider the treatment of
eye injuries in a private practitioner's
office. As sports participation statistics
continue to climb, and newly identified
"extreme" sports gain in popularity, the
number of athletes who fall victim to eye
injuries has the potential to grow at
alarming rates.
School-aged competitors are
particularly prone to eye injuries since
their athletic skills (hand-eye
coordination, balance, reaction time and
speed) are still being developed. However,
regardless of an individual's age or skill
level, every athlete's eyes are targets for
injury. Under most circumstances, at least
90% of sports-related eye injuries are
preventable with the proper use of
protective sports eyewear. |
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