ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- As the cold and dreary days of winter begin to
melt away, restless children welcome warmer weather, longer days
and the beginning of another season of spring sports and outdoor
activities.
Participation in sports can teach children the importance of
physical fitness and discipline, significant leadership skills and
the benefits of being a team player, and outdoor activities
encourage exercise and social interaction. While these are great
outlets and learning opportunities for kids, they may also pose
some risk of injury. Each year an estimated 25,000 children under
the age of 15 suffer sports-related eye injuries in the U.S., and
most of these injuries are preventable. (Source: Prevent Blindness
America)
Dr. Scott Lambert is a professor of ophthalmology at Emory
University and a member of the advisory council for the Pediatric
Cataract Initiative. This program is a global partnership between
the Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute and Lions Clubs
International Foundation that aims to protect children’s eyes
from long-term vision problems and prevent childhood blindness. Dr.
Lambert offers parents the following tips to help protect
kids’ eyes during spring activities:
- Protective eyewear should be as common in sports as helmets and
protective padding. Trauma to the eye may cause minor, temporary
injuries, but can also lead to long-term vision problems including
bleeding in the eye, cataract or in some cases, blindness.
Projectiles, such as tennis balls, baseballs and basketballs
aren’t the only dangers to eyes. Pokes and jabs from other
athletes may also lead to eye injuries. Dr. Lambert notes that many
parents are surprised to learn that conditions such as cataract can
occur in children and develop for a variety of reasons, including
severe eye trauma. Tip: Select protective eyewear with
contoured frames that wrap around a child’s face to protect
the eye from all directions.
- For children who wear glasses, protective eyewear is often
overlooked. Dr. Lambert reminds parents that traditional glasses
and sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection to
children’s eyes, as lenses can break and cause shards of
debris to fly into a child’s eye. Plastic and metal frames
can bend or break, causing damage to a child’s face and eyes.
Tip: Protective eyewear is available with or without a
prescription in a variety of styles. Be sure that lenses are both
impact and scratch resistant.
- Generally speaking, children spend more time outside and in the
sun than most adults. “The damage that sun exposure does to
our eyes is cumulative, meaning the danger to our eyes grows as we
spend more and more time in the sun. Proper protection from UV rays
is essential to keeping kids’ eyes safe and healthy,”
said Dr. Lambert. Prolonged exposure to UV rays has been linked to
the onset of a variety of eye issues, including adult onset
cataracts and macular degeneration, and Dr. Lambert recommends
parents outfit their children with sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat
to shield the child’s eyes from direct sunlight anytime
they’re outside. Tip: Be sure sunglasses block both
UVA and UVB rays. If parents are unsure about the protection level
of kids’ glasses, ask an eye doctor. Most have access to
tools, such as spectrophotometers, that can measure the amount of
visible light and UV radiation the lenses block.
For more information about Dr. Scott Lambert and the Pediatric
Cataract Initiative, visit
www.pediatriccataract.org.
SOURCE