April 24, 2021

Eye Awareness in April- Listen Up Ladies and Sports Players

April is full of spring showers, flowers blooming and trees budding. It is also sports eye safety and women’s eye health awareness month so there is lots to talk about in April! Where do we begin? April is Women’s Eye Health Awareness Month and Sports Eye Safety Month! In honor of both observances, Wolfe Eye Clinic would like to raise awareness, provide tips in protecting your vision while playing sports, and educate our patients on how to take the proper steps to practice healthy eye routines for women.

April is Women’s Eye Health Awareness Month

Prevent Blindness has declared April as Women’s Eye Health Month to increase awareness of eye health in women. According to the National Eye Institute two out of every three people in the United States living with blindness are women, this statistic is partially because women live longer than men. The sight threatening diseases that women are more vulnerable too are age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye, glaucoma, low vision, thyroid eye disease, and refractive errors.

Ways to protect your vision:

• See your local optometrist yearly for a routine eye exam to check your vision and eye health
• Get active- physical activity or exercise lowers your risks of conditions that can cause eye problems
• Maintain a healthy diet- eat healthy foods
• Wear sunglasses- look for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation
• Quit smoking

We recommend that everyone make vision a top priority, they are your eyes after all! Unfortunately, studies show that women tend to be more vulnerable to suffer from sight- threatening conditions as noted above so take the best care of yourself and your vision!

How to Prevent Eye Injuries in Sports

Initiated by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) April has been declared sports eye safety month. Athletes of all ages no matter the sport are susceptible of eye injuries. According to the AAO, more than 30,000 sports-related eye injuries are treated each year in U.S. emergency rooms. The good news is that 90 percent of serious eye injuries are preventable by wearing appropriate protective eyewear.

Leading those numbers current research shows basketball being the number one sport that causes an eye related injury, followed by baseball, softball, airsoft rifles, pellet guns, racquetball and hockey. Not only can wearing protective eyewear protect you from eye injuries such as an object flying in the air or but can protect your eyes from debris, dirt, and sand. The risk of an eye injury varies depending on the sport or activity. Corneal abrasion which is a scratch on the surface of the eye is one of the most common injuries in sports. A hyphema is another common injury where blood collects inside the front of the eye and must be treated properly or can cause permanent vision problems. If you or your loved one experiences a sports related injury it is important to proceed to your nearest emergency room or call your local eye doctor so they can determine the severity of the injury. If needed, they may refer you to Iowa’s trusted eye specialty surgeons at Wolfe Eye Clinic!

Wear the Proper Eye Protection for the Sport

Different sports require more eye protection than others. Regular eyeglasses are not enough. For sports like basketball, baseball, tennis, and soccer, polycarbonate goggles are a great option. The goggles can even be worn over the glasses! Polycarbonate is a type of material that is shatter proof or impact resistant.  Lacrosse, archery, hockey, and football polycarbonate goggles are needed along with face masks and the other protective equipment. If you are not sure what type of eye protection to wear reach out to your local optometrist who would be happy to discuss your eyewear needs and make protection recommendations. For tips on more eye safety tips for kids, read here.

Whether you are playing sports or over do for your yearly eye exam, following the proper tips and guidelines to maintain the best vision and eye health is highly recommended. Be pro-active in not only your life, but for your vision.

Learn more about Wolfe Eye Clinic’s Iowa locations HERE.