Do You Protect Your Eyes When You Exercise?

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

03 Apr 2009 09:58 PM

I once doled out $120 for a pair of sunglasses designed specifically for runners. I wore them once during a marathon and haven't used them since. I bought them after reading several articles about the importance of eyewear for long distance runners. I worried about my cornea's being burned while running in sunny conditions and the increase risk of cancer associated with lack of proper eyewear, so I bought the sunglasses... and now I barely use them partially because I can never find them when I need them and partially because I don't enjoy having to constantly fiddle with them when I am drenched in sweat.

But, that's about to change. April is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month, and I've just sifted through a new stack of studies published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and once again I've been sufficiently scared back into wearing my sunglasses while running.

The new studies point out that more than 40,000 Americans suffer from eye injuries related to sports every year. The majority of the injuries occurred in sports that include a ball. In fact, according to the Academy, basketball is one of the leading causes of eye injuries because of elbows and fingers hitting the eye.

As a result, the Academy advocates the need for athletes to wear appropriate, sport-specific protective eyewear properly fitted by an eye care professional. Athletes should invest in lenses made from polycarbonate materials, which reportedly provide the highest level of impact protection. Experts say the special lenses can withstand a ball or other projectile traveling at 90 miles per hour.

Doctors maintain that eye injuries from sports can be devastating. In addition to abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lids, injuries can include retinal detachments and internal bleeding. Studies show the most serious risks involve permanent vision loss along with infection. Athletes are also warned that after sustaining an eye injury just once, they are at greater risk for developing glaucoma.

Do you wear protective eyewear while participating in sports?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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