Suit Up for Sports Safety

Avoid sports-related eye injuries, insist on protective eyewear policy

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ (September 10, 2015) – Shin guards for soccer, shoulder pads for football, and batting helmets for baseball and softball. Almost every sport has its own unique safety equipment, but according to Dr. Barbara Tarbell, 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. Tarbell said. “Most of these could be avoided simply by wearing proper eye protection.”

Protective sports eyewear can help prevent injuries such as fracture of the eye socket, scratched corneas, swollen retinas, and even cataracts caused by trauma to the eye. 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. Tarbell said. “We encourage anyone who participates in sports – children and adults alike – to remember to outfit the eyes for safety. Today’s protective eyewear is lightweight, comfortable, and available with or without vision correction.”

Dr. Tarbell is the owner and practitioner of Advanced Eyecare & Vision Gallery located at 305 Omni Drive in Hillsborough and is a member of Vision Source.

Founded in 1991, Vision Source® is North America’s largest network of private practice optometrists. With more than 2,800 offices and 5,300 members in the United States and Canada, Vision Source consists of the most influential experts in the eye care industry. For more information, call 888-558-2020 or visit www.visionsource.com.

###