Baseball and softball are popular spring sports. Unfortunately, they’re also the cause of a lot of eye injuries. Paul Rychwalski, MD, an ophthalmologist at Cleveland Clinic, says the best way to protect your eyes is by wearing sports goggles or glasses.
“They’re getting more popular, and kids are wanting to wear them,” Dr. Rychwalski says. “They should be made of polycarbonate, which is a type of plastic that is very impact resistant and that can be very helpful in protecting your eyes from sports injuries.”
Dr. Rychwalski says polycarbonate is so strong it’s virtually bulletproof. When you’re choosing a pair for you or your child, comfort is key. Although baseball and basketball are the leading sports for eye injuries, water sports and racquet sports aren’t far behind. Even track athletes can benefit from a pair of glasses because many of them are UV protective. And if you’re wondering if your little athlete will balk at the idea, Dr. Rychwalski says it may be a little easier to get your child to wear protective goggles than you would think.
“Like bike helmets, a generation ago no one wore bike helmets, and the injuries were very high,” he says. “Now the kids really like to wear them, so making sure they like them and help you to pick them out is really important.”
Dr. Rychwalski says you can find colored and even prescription lenses to suit your needs.
