THE RIGHT ACTIVEWEAR

by ArticlesBlog

As you head out the door this summer, whether it is to go mountain biking or to the lake to go fishing, having the right type of eye protection or activewear is essential. Eye protection can vary greatly in design and function depending on what type of activities you are to take part in. One of the most important factors to take into consideration when choosing eye protection is if it needs to be designed to protect against impact, the sun, or possibly both.

Eye protection has a large range of options. If you are using the right eye protection for the wrong activity, you may find that your protection is not going to work as you had hoped, and may actually cause more problems. As a new season of school sports kicks up, be sure to suit up with the right eyewear.

The most important part of determining what type of eye protection you need is to identify what you will be protecting your eyes from. For someone who is going to grab the mountain bike and hit to trails, you are looking for something that is designed for impact resistance. Having glasses on that can break and enter the eye, or cause damage to areas around the eye would not be your best option.

The two main categories to look at when you are choosing eyewear is whether your activity is going to have any chance of impact. If there is, you want to choose safety glasses. These differ from regular glasses as they are required to meet a higher standard of impact resistance than regular eye glasses. This standard is required for both the lens and the frame.

Safety glasses are becoming more stylish and can even be special ordered with your prescription in them if need be. Regular glasses, if impacted, may not stand up to the impact which can lead to injury from broken glass or broken frames.

If you’re more up to grabbing your fishing gear and heading to your favorite lake or stream, you are looking to protect your eyes from the sun. In this case impact resistance is not as important as blocking out the UV rays that can damage the eye or even leave your eyes sunburned.

The most effective form of sunglasses are those which have UV protection. Wraparound sunglasses have the most coverage for your face and will help to block out light that can enter around the sides of normal sunglasses. If you are concerned about being able to see, sunglasses like many safety glasses can be made with your prescription to allow you to see clearly through them.

As you step out the door this summer, know that your eye protection has a specific design and function. Using the wrong eyewear for the activity you are going to partake in may leave you more vulnerable and unprotected. If you are unsure which type of eye protection to use, consult your optometrist or the staff at Bissell Eye Care and they will be able to guide you in the right direction!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

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EYE INJURIES AND SPORTS

by ArticlesBlog

sports-eye-protection-performanceWith spring sports right around the corner, as you suit up think about eye protection. Planning ahead and having the proper eye gear when the season starts will help to keep you and your kids safe as they play a variety of sports this spring.

A Sports Safety Report by The Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology, recommends protective eyewear for any sport, even for children who don’t wear glasses or contacts. Some states and sport organizations have requirements for shin guards but not for sports protective eyewear

Eye injuries most often occur in baseball, basketball, ice hockey and racquet sports, yet few parents encourage their children to wear protective eyewear when playing these sports

For children 14 and under, baseball is a leading cause of sports-related eye injury. With nearly 31,000 people a year suffering injuries from eye related sports injuries, now is the time to plan. Wearing the proper protective eye gear can mean the difference between a successful season and an unfavorable one.

In baseball, ice hockey and men’s lacrosse, a helmet with a polycarbonate (an especially strong, shatterproof, lightweight plastic) face mask or wire shield should be worn at all times. It is important that hockey face masks be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

The following chart from the Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology represents the recommended type of eye protection for a given sport.

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Many people who wear prescription glasses often feel as though they provide sufficient protection from eye injuries associated with sports. Glasses, however, are not designed to withstand an impact. Sportswear glasses or goggles developed for sports are constructed of a much stronger plastic that is designed to absorb the impact without shattering or breaking.

If you do use prescription glasses you may find that having prescription glasses created for sports use may help to improve your game! Most eyewear designed for the rugged usage associated with sport provide a wraparound type of lens. This will help to prevent any foreign object from entering the sides of the eye where normal prescription glasses do not cover. This also means that with safety sportswear glasses, you have a much larger range of vision, which may help to improve your game.

For those who don’t wear prescription glasses, safety glasses have come a long way and in many cases, look very similar if not identical to sunglasses. For night games and practices, glasses also come with clear to bright tinting which may help to improve your night vision.

Make sure the level of eye protection you or others in your family use is appropriate for the type of activity. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or coach, you can encourage schools to adopt a policy on protective eyewear. Meanwhile, parents and coaches should insist that children wear protective eyewear whenever they play sports and be good role models and wear it themselves.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

SPRINGING BACK INTO SPORTS!

by ArticlesBlog
Woman and man mountain runners taking a selfie.

Spring is a time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Many times this means getting involved in spring sports.  As you grab your lacrosse gear, you baseball bat or other sports gear, remember that it is also important to grab your eye protection!

With about 90% of sport related eye injuries being preventable, it is time to take action. Making sure that you have the proper eye protection is key to keeping your eyes safe from foreign objects entering the eye. Having proper eye protection can help to save your vision and prevent unplanned trips to the doctor or emergency room saving you both time and money.

Many people do not want to spend the money on eye protection or may not feel that it is fashionable. Think about the alternatives. Wearing eye protection can cost as little as $40-50 and can save thousands of dollars in an emergency room visit, not to mention help to avoid permanent damage. As safety becomes more and more important in sports, many eye wear companies are finding ways to make safety glasses fashionable and trendy. These safety glasses come in different styles and colors allowing you the ability to pick something that fits your taste.

For people who have prescription glasses, did you know that you can get the eye protection with your prescription allowing you to see as clearly as if you were wearing your normal eye wear? Eye protection is made with materials that are designed not to break or shatter. Normal eye wear is not designed to withstand the impact of a baseball or other type of object and may cause more harm than good in certain situations.

If you do find that you or one of your kids has had an accident and is suffering from a black eye, vision problems, or pain be sure to contact an eye doctor immediately. Quick response could help to reduce the long term effects of a serious injury of the eye. Have a safe spring and get out there and enjoy the outdoors!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.