Basketball, Baseball and Air/Paintball Guns Top the List of Leading Causes of Eye Injuries

More than 40 percent of eye injuries that occur every year are related to sports or recreational activities. A recent study(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) found that about 30,000 people in the U.S. went to an emergency department with a sports-related eye injury, a substantially higher estimate than previously reported. Three sports accounted for almost half of all injuries: basketball, baseball and air/paintball guns.

Basketball was the leading cause of injury in males, followed by baseball/softball, and air/paintball guns. Baseball or softball was the leading cause among females, followed by cycling and soccer. In support of Sports Eye Safety Month in April, UCLA Stein Eye and Doheny Eye Institutes and the American Academy of Ophthalmology(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) are offering athletes of all ages guidance on how to protect their eyes.

Sports-related injuries can range from corneal abrasions and bruises on the lids to more serious, vision-threatening internal injuries, such as a retinal detachment(Link opens in new window) and internal bleeding. About one-third of sports related eye injuries happen to kids(Link is external) (Link opens in new window).

The good news is that simply wearing protective eyewear can prevent about 90 percent of eye injuries. Follow these tips to save your vision:

• Wear the right eye protection: For basketball, racquet sports, soccer and field hockey, wear protection with shatterproof polycarbonate lenses. Regular glasses with polycarbonate lenses offer some protection.
• Put your helmet on: For baseball, ice hockey and lacrosse, wear a helmet with a polycarbonate facemask or wire shield.
• Know the standards: Choose eye protection that meets American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. See the Academy’s protective eyewear article(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) for more details.
• Throw out old gear: Eye protection should be replaced when damaged or yellowed with age. Wear and tear may cause them to become weak and lose effectiveness.
• Glasses won’t cut it: Regular prescription glasses may shatter when hit by flying objects. If you wear glasses, try sports goggles on top to protect your eyes and your frames.

Anyone who experiences a sports eye injury should immediately visit an ophthalmologist or go to the emergency room, even if the eye injury appears minor. Delaying medical attention can result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

For more information or to find an ophthalmologist near you, visit uclahealth.org/eye(Link is external) (Link opens in new window).

Epidemiology of Sports-Related Eye Injuries in the United States(Link is external) (Link opens in new window), JAMA Ophthalmology, Dec. 2016. Haring, Sheffield, Canner, et al.