For more information:
Prevent Blindness
Whitney Anderson
Phone: (800) 301-2020 ext. 105
E-mail address: [email protected]
Prevent Blindness Data Shows Water and Pool Activities Remain the Cause of Most Sports-related Eye Injuries
– September is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month at Prevent Blindness, designed to Educate Public on Need for Proper
Eye Protection While Playing Sports –
Eye injuries from water sports include eye infections and irritations, and scratches or trauma from other swimmers. Wearing contact lenses during water activities also increases the risk for Acanthamoeba keratitis, a severe, painful infection of the cornea, which usually causes scarring and, if undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to blindness. The infection is believed to be caused through exposure of the eye to water contaminated with the amoeba Acanthamoeba, a free-living organism.
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Understand that most sports-related eye injuries are preventable. Whatever the sport or the child’s age, appropriate protective eyewear is the best defense against eye injury.
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Learn about the eye injury risks associated with sports before allowing children to participate.
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Parents should consult an eye doctor for protective eyewear recommendations before enrolling a child in any sports program.
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Parents should enroll children in organized sports through school districts, community centers, park districts, recreation centers or licensed facilities where adults supervise all sports activity. Ideally, an adult trained in the prevention, recognition and immediate care of an eye injury should be present at all times.
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Parents should meet with a child’s coach or athletic trainer to make sure that proper procedures are in place to deal with a child’s eye injury should one occur.
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Parents, teachers, school nurses and coaches should familiarize themselves with the warning signs of an eye injury and know when to seek treatment.
Once again, Prevent Blindness, Prevent Blindness, and Liberty Sport have teamed up to offer free materials to assist eye care professionals in educating consumers and raising awareness through the “September is Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness Month” program. To request a kit, please contact Angela Gerber, Liberty Sport, at (973) 882-0986 x972 or [email protected].
For more information on sports eye injury prevention or contact lens safety, call Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate at (800) 301-2020, or visit
About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020. Or, visit us on the web at www.pbohio.org or facebook.com/pbohio.