Posted by: Eye Health Northwest in General Eye Health on April 8, 2025
As spring sports are about to start, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has designated April as Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month. Whether you are headed to the baseball diamond, lacrosse field, or basketball court, prioritizing your eye safety is essential to ensure you don’t miss a minute of play.
Keep reading to learn more about what athletes need to know about Sports Eye Safety Month.
What are the Most Common Sports-Related Eye Injuries?
An estimated 30,000 sports-related eye injuries are treated in U.S. emergency rooms annually. Many of these injuries are sustained by younger, less-experienced athletes.
While most of these injuries are relatively minor, serious injuries can cause permanent vision impairment or vision loss. The most common sports-related eye injuries include:
Blunt Force Trauma
Blunt force trauma occurs when a solid object like a ball strikes the eye or the area around the eye. This type of injury can cause minor injuries, like black eyes, or more serious eye injuries, like detached retinas, ruptured oculi, or orbital fractures.
Corneal Abrasions
Corneal abrasions are painful eye injuries that occur when an object, like another player’s fingernail or flying debris, scratches the surface of the eye. If left untreated, even a minor abrasion can develop into a corneal ulcer, which can cause scarring and impair vision.
Eye Penetration Injuries
Eye penetration injuries occur when a sharp object or piece of debris punctures the eyeball, damaging its structure. Depending on where and how deeply the object penetrates, these injuries can lead to blindness in the affected eye.
What Sports Cause the Most Eye Injuries?
Sports that involve high speeds, physical contact, or hard projectiles are more likely to cause eye injuries. The most common sports linked to eye injuries include:
Basketball
As a fast-paced, high-contact sport that requires little protective gear, basketball is the most common cause of accidental eye injuries, often from elbows and other players’ fingers during play.
Baseball and Softball
Baseballs or softballs pitched at high speeds put players at high risk for eye injuries, like blunt force trauma.
Football
Intense physical contact during football increases the potential for eye injuries caused by tackles, helmets, or other players’ body parts.
Soccer
Like basketball, soccer is a high-contact sport with minimal protective gear, and eye injuries are often the result of accidental collisions or the hands, knees, and elbows of other players.
How Do You Prevent Sport-Related Eye Injuries?
The most important thing athletes can do to prevent eye injuries while playing sports is to wear protective eyewear. When choosing protective eyewear, you should look for lenses made of shatterproof polycarbonate plastic and ensure that they protect the eyes from all angles.
For certain sports, a face shield made of polycarbonate plastic or wire mesh may offer better protection than eyewear. Both eyewear and face shields should meet the standards set by the Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) and have an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) rating that guarantees high-impact resistance.
According to the AAO, approximately 90% of sports-related eye injuries are preventable. This Sports Eye Safety Month, athletes should take a moment to consider the risks posed by sports-related eye injuries and how they can protect their eyes before heading into the game.
Do you want to learn more about protecting your eyes during sports? Schedule an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Portland, OR, today to stay on top of your eye health and safety!
