Hospitals and clinics treat approximately 40,000 children and adults annually for eye injuries related to sports activities. Because not everyone seeks medical treatment for eye injuries, the number of eye injuries is suspected to be higher — by as much as 100,000 per year.
Most of these injuries can be prevented, just by using well-fitting eye protection appropriate for your sport.
| Badminton |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses |
| Baseball |
Polycarbonate faceguard (attached to helmet) for batting and base running
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses for fielding |
| Basketball |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses and side shields |
Bicycling
(low eye risk) |
Sturdy street frames with polycarbonate lenses and a strap to secure them to your head |
| Boxing |
None available |
| Fencing |
Full face cage |
| Field hockey |
Full face mask (wire or polycarbonate) for goalie |
| Football |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses for all others |
| Full-contact martial arts |
Polycarbonate shield attached to a faceguard or helmet |
| Handball |
Not allowed
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses and side shields |
| Ice Hockey |
Helmet and full face (wire or polycarbonate) mask |
| Lacrosse (male) |
Helmet and full face (wire or polycarbonate) protection required |
| Lacrosse (female) |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses required
Helmet and full face protection (wire or polycarbonate) recommended |
| Outdoor |
Glasses or eyeguards that block 99 to 100 percent of the full UV spectrum |
| Paintball |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses required
Full face protection recommended |
| Racquetball |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses and side shields |
| Skiing |
High impact resistant eye protector |
| Soccer |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses and side shields |
| Softball |
Polycarbonate faceguard (attached to helmet for batting and base running
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses for fielding |
| Sport shooting |
Sport eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses |
| Squash |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses |
| Street hockey |
Full face cage for goalie
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses for all others |
| Swimming |
Swim goggles |
| Tennis (doubles) |
Sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses and side shields |
| Tennis (singles) |
Sturdy street frames with polycarbonate lenses and a strap to secure them to your head |
Track and field
(low eye risk) |
Sturdy street frames with polycarbonate lenses and a strap to secure them to your head |
| Water polo |
Swim goggles with polycarbonate lenses |
| Wrestling |
None available |
Yard work
(lawn mowing or hedge trimming) |
Sturdy street frame with polycarbonate lenses |
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Lower Eye Risks
In certain instances (such as strong prescriptions) polycarbonate lenses may not be suitable for street frames. Your ophthalmologist can use an allyl-resin plastic in its place, although it's not as strong as polycarbonate.
If the sport in which you or your child participates requires helmets or face masks, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that sports eyeguards with polycarbonate lenses also be worn, particularly in the case of one-eyed athletes, or those who have had eye injury or surgery. Athletes who have had eye injury or surgery, or who have good vision out of only one eye should not participate in boxing, wrestling, and full-contact martial arts.
Contact lenses and regular street glasses do not provide adequate eye protection. Neither do glasses without lenses or eye protectors that are yellowed with age.
Protective eyewear might be needed for other sports, too. Check with your ophthalmologist, optometrist, or other healthcare provider if you or your child participates in a sport not listed |
