Shin guards for soccer. Shoulder pads for football. Batting helmets for baseball and softball. Almost every sport has it own unique safety equipment. But according to Dr. Shawna Heddinghaus, Therapeutic Optometrist, most participants in sports forget to protect one of the most important parts of the body: the eyes.
“Sports are the leading cause of eye injuries in children under 16,” Dr. Heddinghaus said, “Most of these could be avoided by wearing proper eye protection.”
Protective sports eye-wear can help prevent injuries such a fracture of the eye socket, scratched corneas, swollen retinas, and even cataracts caused by trauma to the eye, Dr. Heddinghaus said. Parents of children who participate in sports should insist that their children wear protective eyewear and encourage schools and athletic clubs to adopt a policy requiring it.
“September is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month,” Dr. Heddinghaus said, “And we encourage anyone who participates in sports – children and adults alike – to remember to outfit the eyes for safety. Today’s protective eye-wear is lightweight, comfortable, and available with or without vision correction.”
Dr. Heddinghaus owns and practices at Fireside Eye Car, PC located at 600 South 8th Street in Benld, IL 62009 and is a member of Vision Source, the nation’s number one network of private practice optometrists. Founded in 1991, Vision Source network includes more than 2,300 offices in all 50 states and Canada.
