In a time that isn’t too far in the past, athletes did not bother with anywhere near the amount of protection that they do today. The players wore some, but what they did wear was mediocre at best, and eyewear specifically to protect the eyes was non-existent. Thus, in a surprise to no one, sports-related injuries to the eyes were an immense concern as they were very common in players.
Today, not only is eyewear a requirement in many sports, but players are able to appreciate what it does for them in brand new ways as modern medicine reveals just how bad injuries can be. Protective eyewear can be seen in almost every member of a sport that has a bat, ball, stick, and racquet, anything that can be used to injure the eyes really.
Fortunately for players of sports today, coaches and parents have taken a vested interest into the safety of players after realizing the benefit protective eyewear offers. While the safety of the eyes of the player is paramount, having the ability to keep them open while playing due to protection makes for a player who able to perform better. Almost every sanctioned sport today will not even allow a person to play without wearing some form of protective eyewear.
In the early days of eyewear for protection being introduced, there was a bit of resistance met from people who did not want to wear something that looked “silly.” Kids will be kids though. As sports enforce rules to force players to wear eye protection though, the varying trends in it have caught on to be socially acceptable wear. There is even a sort of reputation, as the person who shows up in full protection is someone who is ready to get their game on.
What can happen if you refuse protection?
The organization Prevent Blindness America had a report that the emergency rooms of hospitals treat more than 40,000 injuries to the eye every year that occurred as the result of a sports altercation. Even sports that are not violent present danger, as they still involve objects that can affect the eye. Sports of this type would be most intentional non-contact sports as well as sports with projectiles, such as badminton.
On the subject of sports with projectiles, any flying object can potentially injure a player who does not have on the proper protection. Imagine taking a baseball to the eye if you did not have on a batters helmet. This is not something you want happening to yourself, as these balls travel at speeds that are near triple digit numbers in miles per hour. Other sports with huge potential to hurt an unprotected eye are sports such as tennis and racquetball, as the balls of these games move close to 60 mile per hour, more than enough to crack the bone of the eye socket.
The reason to protect against these is simple, and this protection is invaluable to players. Protective eyewear is just now the norm to see on players, and it is a great benefit as some eyewear will allow players with prescription glasses to play. There exist sports glasses that will wrap around a person”s normal glasses, offering them protection for their eyes and protection for their vision.
Sports have come a long way in their execution, so it only makes sense to have the protection for the players do the same. After all, it is safety first while playing. So kudos to those who made it possible for a player to protect their eyes.
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