How Sports Injuries Can Affect Your Vision
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According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, almost 40,000 people have eye injuries when they play sports or other recreational activities. Most of these injuries can be prevented with safety gear. Young children are the most susceptible to eye injuries, but even the most experienced athlete can get an injury.
Types of Eye Injuries From Sports
Even a low-intensity sport can be risky for the eyes. Players of all ages should take the right steps to ensure that their eyes are protected from flying objects, such as balls. Players can get special sports vision eyewear that is designed for protecting their eyes when playing specific sports.
Concussions
Even a mild concussion can affect your vision. After a concussion, you may have dizziness, eye coordination problems, or blurred vision. If you have all of these symptoms together, you may have post-trauma vision syndrome. Severe concussions can cause double vision or even blindness.
Blunt Trauma
Having a sudden impact to your brow or eye is a common cause of a sports eye injury. If you come in contact with an opponent or misjudge the speed of an object, then you may get a painful blow to your face. A more minor blunt injury might cause a black eye, which is caused by bleeding in the eyelids. However, a severe impact can cause your eyeball to rupture, or retina detachment. Sometimes, the bones around the eyelids can be broken.
Penetrating Eye Injury
If an object penetrates your eye, you may experience a permanent loss of vision. This will depend on the location and the depth of the penetration. Flying debris, broken glass, or contacting another player can cause a penetrating eye injury.
Corneal Abrasion
If you are diving for a home plate or have a small piece of debris enter your eye, the outer surface of your eye may become scratched. Often, baseball players will suffer corneal abrasions after coming in contact with another player’s fingernail.
UV Eye Injury
Many sports are played outdoors. This means that the eyes come in contact with harmful UV rays from the sun, often for a long period of time. If you play snow or water sports, the sun will reflect off the snow or water and damage your eyes even more. Wearing the right sunglasses is a good way for you to protect your eyes, no matter what type of outdoor sport you play.
If you have any type of vision problem after a sports injury, it is vital to get medical attention. This will help save your eyes and help you get back to playing the sport that you love. Remember that not every sports vision problem has symptoms. If you have suffered a sports injury, you should see an eye doctor immediately.
If you would like to schedule your appointment or want to learn more about our services and how to protect your eyes in sports, please contact Horizon Eye Care & Optical at our Sugar Land, TX, office today at (281) 313-2020.