Injury statistics: 40,000 sports-related eye injuries per year
According to familydoctor.org, sports are responsible for more than 40,000 eye injuries a year. Basketball and baseball cause the most injuries, followed by water sports and racket sports.
Risk Factors
Watch out!
Sports that use a ball, puck, bat, stick or racket are considered high risk. Sports that involve body contact are also more likely to cause eye injuries.
Blunt Trauma
Hit or miss
Blunt trauma causes most sports-related eye injuries. It's caused when something or someone hits you directly in the eye. A blunt trauma injury can break your orbital bone (the bone under the eye), rupture your globe (resulting in a broken eyeball), or cause a detached retina. A black eye also can result from blunt trauma, but it is less serious.
Penetrating Injuries
Scratched cornea
These occur when something cuts into your eye, ranging from mild to deep lacerations to the eyeball. A scratched cornea is a common example.
Radiation Injuries
Overexposed
Outdoor activities, like water or snow skiing, can result in radiation injuries. Overexposure to ultra violet light is the culprit here.
Protection
The importance of eye protection
Most high risk sports mandate that players, especially young kids, wear some kind of mask, or a cage attached to their helmet. But according to familydoctor.org, the child still can be exposed to fingers or other sports equipment through these devices. They recommend seeing an eye doctor for sport-specific eye protection.
Tags: blunt trauma, high risk, injuries year, Sports that, sports-related injuries
