Preventing Summer Eye Injuries
By Linda P. Lee, APR
Director of Public Relations
Montgomery Eye Physicians
Oh, the fun of summertime! But with the recreational opportunities of warm weather
comes the possibility of injury--eye injuries notwithstanding.
Michael B. Bradford, O.D. of Montgomery Eye Physicians, offers these tips on preventing
harm to the eye, whether at work or play:
- In racquet sports, such as racquetball, squash and handball, eye protection should
always be worn to fend off serious injuries from a fast-flying ball.
- Tennis and golf players who wear sunglasses should make sure the eyewear is
safety-approved with polycarbonate lenses.
- Baseball is the number one cause of eye injuries in boys ranging from 8 to 18 years of
age. Although Little League baseball now requires batters and runners to wear masks,
injuries can still occur for fielders. "And no child should play softball or baseball
in regular street glasses, because they might shatter if hit by a ball or elbow," Dr.
Bradford warns. "If they have a prescription, they should either get contact lenses
or sports safety prescription glasses."
- Yard work is a frequent cause of eye injuries. The most dangerous piece of garden
equipment is the Weed Eater®-type of power tool, which can throw a foreign object across
a yard with the velocity of a 22-caliber bullet. Always wear safety goggles when operating
or near this equipment.
Contact lens wearers should not wear them when swimming in fresh water, because of the
chance of vision-threatening infection from organisms that live in lakes, rivers and
ponds.
Although sunbathing is not recommended for anyone due to the risk of skin cancer, eye
protection--sunglasses or contact lenses with ultraviolet filters--should always be worn.
With these precautions in mind, summer fun can still be achieved...without the
unnecessary injuries that can dampen those lazy, hazy days.
Published July-August 1999, Alabama Prime
Times
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