In anticipation of March Madness this year, we decided this is the perfect time to put the spotlight on eye safety because as always, your eye safety and health is our top priority at Northwest Eye Surgeons.

According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, basketball is the leading cause of sports-related eye injuries in the United States followed by baseball and softball. The study also lists the most common types of sports eye injuries: corneal abrasion (27.1%), conjunctivitis (10.0%) and foreign body in the eye (8.5%). Most of these injuries can be treated and released but some of the more serious injuries can lead to hospitalization.

How to Avoid Sports-Related Eye Injuries.

Most sports-related eye injuries can be easily prevented with one simple solution – wearing eye protection. Protective eyewear made with polycarbonate lenses is the best choice for basketball players. All eyewear worn by athletes should meet the requirements of the appropriate organizations.

Professional Athletes Who Have Sustained Eye Injuries.

Sports-related eye injuries can happen in a split second and have the possibility of lasting a lifetime. Here are some real-life examples of preventable eye injuries during basketball. 

• Kansas State’s point guard Barry Brown was poked in the eye during a game right before March Madness.
• The Hornets’ Marvin Williams had to get stitches about his eye for a laceration
• Amare Stoudemire suffered a detached retina while playing for the Phoenix Suns
• Akil Mitchell of the New Zealand Breakers suffered a gruesome eye injury where his eye was poked out of the socket
• Allen Ray had a similar injury to Mitchell while playing for Villanova in 2006

If you have any questions or concerns regarding eye protection or eye health, feel free to give us a call at (614) 451-7550 or schedule an appointment online.