It can happen in the blink of an eye. Before you know it! It’s too late.
(The following statistics are from the National Institutes for Health website.)

• Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children.
• Every 13 minutes, an ER in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury.
• Most eye injuries among kids aged 11 to 14 occur while playing sports.

Sports and Eye Injuries
• Baseball is a leading cause of eye injuries in children 14 and under.
• Basketball is a leading cause of eye injuries among 15- to 24-year-olds.

Financial Cost of Eye Injuries
• Sports-related eye injuries represent a significant eye health hazard worldwide.
• Sports-related eye injuries cost $175 to $200 million a year.
• Hockey face protectors have saved society $10 million a year.
• Use of protective eyewear can decrease insurance costs.

Eye Exams
• A comprehensive eye exam is important for everyone.
• Exams may detect pre-existing eye conditions
in athletes.
• Not all athletes have had their eyes examined.
Health Providers Should Advise
• Family physicians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and other health care providers play a critical role in advising patients to use protective eyewear.
Sports with the Highest Rates of Eye Injuries
• Baseball/Softball • Ice Hockey • Racquet Sports • Basketball
Sports with the Highest Rates of Eye Injuries
• Fencing • Lacrosse • Paintball • Boxing

Protective Eyewear
• Protective eyewear may prevent 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries.
• Experts agree that protective eyewear must meet ASTM standards.

Protective Eyewear
• All kids need protective eyewear. • Ordinary prescription glasses do not provide
adequate protection.
• Eyewear should be sport-specific and sit comfortably on the face.
• Protective eyewear is usually made of polycarbonate.

Benefits of Protective Eyewear
• Many sports-related eye injuries result in permanent vision loss.
• Protective eyewear will keep you in the game rather than on the bench with an eye injury.

Keeping Eyes Safe
• Talk to your eye care provider about the appropriate type of protective eyewear for your sport.
• Have an eye exam.

Hyphema (anterior chamber full of blood) is a common result of blunt trauma of the eye.

Resources
• Kids’ Website: http://isee.nei.nih.gov
• Webpage for Parents, Coaches, and Teachers: http://www.nei.nih.gov/sports
More information go to National Institute of Health

Tags: baseball eye injury, children's vision, eye injury sports, healthy eyes, Optometrist Amarillo, Randal D. Jentzen, softball eye injury, sports eye injury

As technology advances, the doctor can diagnose disease of the eye that would otherwise go undetected. Why is this important? Because catching a potential problem when it is just beginning allows earlier treatment and management of sight threatening disease such as glaucoma, ARMD (macular degeneration), diabetic retinopathy, high risk drugs, and many other eye disease.

The Cirrus HD-OCT is such an instrument. It scans the front of the eye, the optic nerve, and the part of the retina called the macula. Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is a condition that robs a person of their central vision. If caught early, possible intervention with medication or nutritional supplements may slow down the progress. Glaucoma is a condition that robs a person of their peripheral vision. Both can cause legal blindness.

Here is a short video demonstrating what the images look like of the inside of the eye. What was once only a flat, two dimensional image is now brought to life.

The next video demonstrates how the test is given.

This instrument, in conjunction with other modern technology will soon become the standard of care. Vision is a precious gift that deserves your complete and utmost attention. You deserve to take the next step and make certain your eyes are in good health and stay that way for the rest of your life ©

As the Zeis motto says, “Certainty in Seconds, Certainty of Life.”

Tags: blindness, diabetic retinopathy, OCT, Optometrist Amarillo, Randal D. Jentzen, retina