Should Kids Wear Eye Protection When Playing Sports?
Team sports like football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, and more offer incredible opportunities for children to exercise, make friends, and build confidence, as well as learn how to succeed in a group setting. These are all valuable lessons that kids will take into their future as adults.
However, many sports also entail some risks for participants. These days, you might be more worried about the eye strain caused by blue light exposure due to the many hours that kids spend engaged with technologies like TV, video games, computers, and mobile devices. The risk for eye injury in sports also bears consideration, though.
The easy solution is to make sure your children have proper eye protection for the sports they love. In some cases, they may need different options for different activities, but the benefits make having the right eye protection on hand well worthwhile.
Types of Eye Protection for Different Sports
Since your kids were relatively young, you’ve probably gone out of your way to promote healthy vision. After all, humans rely heavily on this primary sense to navigate the world around us. As kids grow and begin to participate in sports, you’ll want to find suitable options to protect their eyes.
Swim Goggles
Children that love to be in the water may enjoy a range of aquatic sports, from swimming and surfing to water skiing and water polo. While goggles are a great idea for little swimmers that want to see underwater, you’ll want to choose swim goggles with polycarbonate lenses for children participating in water sports, where the risk for injury is higher.
Safety Goggles
When kids participate in outdoor sports, they’re going to need more than sunglasses to protect their eyes. While youth sports often require a variety of protective gear, eye protection isn’t always included.
Safety goggles with impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses are wise if your children play baseball/softball, basketball, tennis, or other sports where they may get bumped or knocked in the face. As a bonus, they typically have built-in UV protection.
Helmet with Face Guard
Some sports have enough risk of head injury that helmets are required. In such cases, it’s not a bad idea to opt for a helmet that includes a polycarbonate face shield or guard if there isn’t one already.
Many youth hockey programs already require face shields, but you can also add these protections to baseball/softball helmets (used for batting) and helmets for tackle football. In some cases, safety goggles may work better, but it’s best to speak with your pediatrician and/or optometrist to select the best options for your children and their preferred sports.
Special Eyewear for Specific Sports
Some sports, such as lacrosse or fencing, for example, may necessitate specialized eye protection. A team coach may be able to help here, although it’s best to speak to an eye doctor, as well.
Benefits of Outfitting Kids with Proper Eye Protection
Not all eyewear is created equally. A typical pair of glasses or sunglasses cannot hold up against the impacts that frequently occur in sports. That said, the proper eyewear can prevent an estimated 9 out of 10 eye injuries associated with youth sports, and most protective eyewear will work with prescription eyeglasses.
Choosing proper eye protection for your child’s athletic pursuits is incredibly important. It helps to protect the sensitive eye area from being hit. They can also protect against environmental contaminants.
Plus, polycarbonate frames are shatter-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about breakage that could cause possible eye damage. The right lenses will provide UV protection, and in many cases, scratch-resistant lenses will help maintain a clear view. This could help improve overall safety and performance.
Finding the right form of eye protection for your kids starts with visiting the qualified professionals at Looking Glass Optical. Contact us today or use our convenient online scheduler to book an appointment.
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