One of the most important things I can do on this blog is continually reinforce the things we can do to preserve and protect our vision and the vision of the people we love. That’s why I have repeatedly stressed the importance of wearing proper eye protection when we engage in activities that can put our eyes at risk.
As the weather warms here in the United States, many boys, girls and adults will be taking to ball fields. And even though baseball and football account for a large percentage of eye injuries suffered every year, and despite the recommendations of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the great majority of young ballplayers will not be wearing eye protection.
Photo by: Matthew Hull
Last November I posted about Mike Delaney, who lost the vision in his right eye after being hit by a softball. And I recently came across accounts of two baseball players—one a college student and one a seasoned veteran—who both lost an eye to a batted ball. Their stories are all-too-vivid reminders of the fragility of vision, the dangers inherent in these sports and the need for proper eye protection.
Jordan Underwood was a promising college baseball pitcher, but his career seemed to be over after he lost his left eye to a line drive. But those who doubted him were wrong. Jordon was back on the mound the following year, and posted a winning record. It was a remarkable comeback for the young pitcher, who now wears protective eyewear in every game.
And in March, Luis Salazar, a long-time major league player who is now a minor-league manager in the Atlanta Braves organization, was hit in the eye by a foul ball while standing in the dugout. He had several operations to save the eye, but the treatment was ultimately unsuccessful and it had to be removed. Undaunted and determined, Salazar expects to return to managing this season.
In a joint policy statement, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics say that baseball and softball pose a “high risk” to unprotected eyes—a risk right up there with air rifles, BB guns and paintball. According to the statement, there are more than 40,000 sports-related eye injuries each year—and most of them are sustained by people younger than 25.
Almost all of those injuries could be prevented.
“Appropriate eye protection has been found to reduce the risk of significant eye injury by at least 90 percent when properly fitted,” the statement says. “It would be ideal if all children and adolescents wore appropriate eye protection for all eye-risk sports and recreational activities.”
My hope is that eye protection in baseball and softball will someday be as ubiquitous as it is in youth hockey and lacrosse and many other sports. But that’s going to take some convincing, both of your kids and the leagues and schools that administer their sports. And, of course, as parents we have to model the right behavior for our kids – that means we should be wearing the right eye protection when we take the field.
For more on this very important topic, you may want to obtain a comprehensive guide to children’s sports eye safety offered by Prevent Blindness America. You can order the guide here at no charge.
Sports are great – let’s enjoy them and keep our eyes safe!
