Whether you’re shooting hoops at a local gym or diving for a volleyball on the beach, your eyes are constantly at risk. However, while helmets and pads are common sights on the field, overlooking protective eyewear can sometimes be possible. But truth be told, protective eyewear is just as important as any other piece of sports gear.

And the statistics do not lie. According to approximations, about 90% of the estimated 30,000 sports-related eye injuries treated in emergency rooms each year could be avoided by wearing sports eyewear protection.

And this is where safety glasses come in. Although most people often picture industrial workspaces or science labs when they think of them, safety glasses designed for sports can actually help withstand high-impact collisions and flying objects.

Sports that require eye protection

We have already hinted at how important it is to protect your eyes, beyond just putting on kits such as knee pads and helmets. Whether the sport is high or low-intensity, there are usually undefined shortcomings that are hard to predict, which is why you must exercise caution. 

After all, you don’t want to spend exuberant costs recovering from an injury you’d have otherwise avoided. Here are a few sports that need eye protection.

Softball and baseball

A few years ago, a report was released claiming that most of the sports-related eye injuries among those aged between five and fourteen in the US result from baseball. The study added that batted baseball had 3.5 times higher possibilities of causing these injuries than pitched baseball. 

But even with this statistic, many players will only wear protective gear at bat and not in the field. This exposes them to injuries like corneal abrasion, ruptured eyeball, hyphema, orbital fracture, etc. As much as you may want to win every trophy, keeping your health on point can help ensure long-term involvement in the sports.

Hockey

This sport has many variables, and if you aren’t careful, you may compromise your safety. This is why minor leagues often require full-face cages for face protection. Based on the league, the rules may vary at semi-professional, professional or adult recreational levels. 

A good example is when the NHL, in 2013, established a rule requiring players to wear visors. The high sticking, fast skating and flying pucks in ice hockey can injure your eyes if you have no protection.

Basketball

Surprisingly, experts rank basketball as the leading cause of sports-associated eye damage, especially among those aged 15 years and above. As if that’s not enough, it’s reported that about 1 in 18 college athletes are more likely to sustain an eye injury during their careers. Basketball, as you know it, can expose you to getting hit right on the face or even increase the likelihood of being poked in the eyes.

This may result in swollen or detached retinas, eye socket fractures and other more serious injuries that may cause permanent vision loss. Interestingly, of all eye injuries reported annually in the US alone, 40% usually result from such sports and different recreational activities. Unfortunately, only 5.3% of those who experience these incidents claim to have put on safety glasses at the time of their injuries.

Important points for you

Thanks to tech advancements, finding customized lenses is now possible. Of course, just like it is with other industries, personalization has become a popular strategy for eyewear brands to distinguish themselves. In fact, according to Contentful, more than six in ten business leaders agree that it led to better customer retention for their brands.

Customization allows athletes to find the perfect pair of safety glasses that align with their individual preferences. For instance, you can find tailored blue light filters if you want to reduce eye strain from digital screens. And, of course, you don’t just want to protect your vision – you also want to improve performance.

Good enough, there are numerous sports goggles that come with prescription lenses or anti-fog, anti-glare coatings to improve your vision. They can also be handy for those playing under bright lights or changing weather conditions. You don’t have to keep squinting or struggling to focus when you can use prescription safety glasses to reduce glare and improve contrast.

To improve the experience even more, consider sports goggles with air vents for extra ventilation. Plus, avoid purchasing sports goggles without lenses installed. Inspecting how the lenses react in case of an accident can really be helpful, as you don’t want them popping inward, as that can be very dangerous. Also, consider padded protective eyewear as it is more comfortable and could avoid cutting into your skin if an accident occurs.

Clearly, eye health is not something to ignore, especially now that our eyes are often exposed to danger at different times. And even the statistics agree. Imagine that in the US alone, 40% of eye injuries result from sports and recreational activities, which is why you can’t afford to ignore your eye health even for a second.

This need is even more apparent for those participating in tighter games like hockey and basketball. But again, caution must be exercised when choosing the protective eyewear. For example, eyewear that pops inwards towards the eyes when accidents occur can be more dangerous than eyewear that pops outward. Plus, opting for padded ones ensures they don’t cut into your skin when such incidents occur.