Parents - Eyewear
Although improving vision will significantly lower safety risks in sports, accidents will inevitably happen. Accidents that lead to eye injuries can have a long-lasting impact on your child’s vision and may lead to permanent blindness. Loss of vision can not only impact their performance, but can negatively impact their physical and mental health, as well as their academics and work well into adulthood. Therefore, it is important that your child wear appropriate sports-safe eyewear.
According to Prevent Blindness America, more than 90% of eye injuries can be prevented with proper protective eyewear. Visit a local eye doctor to learn what sport-safe eyewear is appropriate for your child’s sports and learn how your child should properly use their eyewear. Remember, not all sports use the same protective eyewear. The wrong eyewear used incorrectly will not only be ineffective, but can negatively impact vision, performance and safety. Be sure you discuss each sport your child plays with your eye doctor.
"Dress" or "Normal" Glasses Are Not Safe!
Unfortunately, many times, eye injuries in sports can be caused by the use of non-sport safe frames. Therefore, it is important that all your athletes wear appropriate sport safe eyewear.
Learn What Eyewear is Right For Your Sports
Work with a local eye doctor to learn what eyewear is appropriate for your sports and how your athletes should properly use their eyewear. The wrong eyewear or eyewear used incorrectly will not only be ineffective, but can negatively impact vision, performance, and safety.
Standards For Eyewear
There are standards of impact resistance established to quantify the safety of eyewear in regards to impact.
Dress frames are eyewear designed for school, work or social settings and should never be used for sports. These frames are not made from sport safe materials, and their hinges are not designed to survive an impact. If you encounter an athlete using these frames, please refer them back to their eye doctor to discuss a more sport appropriate option to protect their eyes and maximize their performance.
Impact resistant frames are required for certain sports with small projectiles, such as racquetball and squash. These frames are generally referred to as “sports goggles.”
Sport safe frames are a step down in impact resistance quality, yet are readily used in sports due to the impact resistance of the frame and lens materials. These frames can be rimless or full frame options. There is some risk associated with these, as they may not meet ASTM standards.
Sport active frames, used in sports such as running and cycling, have sport performance qualities, such as improved peripheral vision optics and lack of fogging, yet these are not expected to have objects impact the frame.
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