Summer is here and kids are out of  school.  Youth of all ages are signing up for all types of camps and group activities where sports will be high on their daily agendas.  Whatever your game, whatever your age, you need protective eyewear and that’s especially important for children from preschool to teenagers.

More than 40,000 people a year suffer eye injuries while playing sports. For all age groups, sports-related eye injuries occur most frequently in baseball, basketball and racquet sports. Almost all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents must be proactive in protecting their children's eyes during sports activities. Many youth and children's teams don't require eye protection, so parents must insist that their children wear safety glasses or goggles whenever they play. Also, parents must remember to set a good example by wearing eye protection themselves. More than 90 percent of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear. This advice definitely applies to athletes or anyone who participates in sports.

Protecting Your Eyes During Sports

The best way to protect your eyes while participating in sports is to be sure your sports eyewear has 3-mm polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate lenses are impact-resistant and are the thinnest, lightest lenses you can buy. Polycarbonate is also the most shatter-resistant lens material, and it filters 100 percent of ultraviolet (UV) light (which will help prevent radiation eye injuries). Some sports have documented standards for recommended eye protection. Such standards have been established by the American Society of Testing & Materials (ASTM Standard F803). They currently have standards for the following sports:

Recommended Eye Protection By Sport

The Doctors of TSO recommend the following eye protection for these sports. Look for certification labels on eyewear packaging.

Basketball, Soccer and Tennis

Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses certified by the Protective Eyewear Council (PECC).

Baseball or Softball

Polycarbonate or wire face guards on the batter's helmet and sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses on the field (certified by PECC).

Field Hockey

A full face mask for the goalie and sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses on the field (certified by PECC).

Football

A polycarbonate eye shield attached to wire face mask. These should be certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).

Paintball

Full-face protection (certified by PECC).

Racket Sports

Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses that are certified by the PECC or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Skiing

High-impact resistant eye protection or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses (certified by PECC). They should also filter UV and excessive sunlight.

Recommendations for Sports Sunglasses

Sunglasses should protect from UV light and protect the eyes from impact injury. For the best sports protection, select sunglasses with polycarbonate lenses. To filter out bright light, neutral gray or amber lenses are a good choice. To avoid glare on water or snow, look for polarized lenses. Good polycarbonate sunglasses are not necessarily expensive. Look for the PECC seal when buying your next pair of glasses so you are sure that your choice is a wise one.