CHICAGO—Prevent Blindness has declared September to be Sports Eye Safety Awareness to encourage the use of proper eye protection while playing sports.

According to the National Eye Institute, every 13 minutes, an emergency room in the U.S. treats a sports-related eye injury. The top five sports with the most eye injuries include basketball, water and pool activities and the use of guns (air, gas, spring and BB), baseball, softball and football, and according to estimates by Prevent Blindness, more than 6,000 Americans suffer from eye injuries while playing basketball.

Sports-related eye injuries can include infection, corneal abrasions, blunt trauma, inflamed iris, fracture of the eye socket, swollen or detached retinas or a traumatic cataract. In the worst cases, some injuries may result in permanent vision loss.

“Any injury can happen in a split second, but the effects of a serious eye injury can have lasting negative effects for a lifetime,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage anyone, adult or child, to always make sure that eye protection is consistently part of their uniform, and to consult an eyecare professional before starting any sport to make sure their vision is healthy and protected.”

Liberty Sport will be partnering with Prevent Blindness to provide eyecare professionals with free information and materials through the “September Is Sports Eye Injury Prevent Awareness Month” campaign.

Additionally, Prevent Blindness suggests that parents, coaches, school staff and others can support children’s sports eye safety with these tips.

• Know that almost all sports-related eye injuries are preventable.
• Be educated on the eye-injury risks associated with sports before allowing children to participate.
• Parents should consult an eye doctor for protective eyewear as well as making sure their child is seeing clearly by getting him or her an eye exam.
• Parents, teachers and coaches should discourage participation in high risk contact sports such as boxing, since adequate eye protection doesn’t exists yet in these types of sports.
• Parents should enroll children in after school organized sports through school districts, community and recreation centers, and park districts where adults supervise activities.
• Parents should meet with a child’s coach or athletic trainer to make sure proper procedures are in place should an eye injury occur.
• Parents, teachers, school nurses and coaches should familiarize themselves with the warning signs of a serious eye injury and know when to seek treatment.

For more information, visit the Prevent Blindness dedicated webpage.