Sports Eye Safety Month Tips for Protecting Your Eyes

September is Sports Eye Safety Month, a time to raise awareness about eye injuries associated with outdoor activities. According to Prevent Blindness, more than 44,000 sports-related eye injuries were treated in the United States in 2025. Basketball had the highest injury rate among people ages 15 and above, while pool and water sports led among children ages 14 and below.

Athletes face risks from fast-moving balls, sticks, fingers, elbows, falls, and collisions. Wearing sport-specific eye protection can reduce those risks while keeping vision clear during play.

Why Sports Eye Safety Matters

An eye injury can affect more than one game or practice. Sports-related trauma ranges from surface scratches to retinal damage and injuries involving the bones around the eye.

Protective eyewear plays a major role in prevention. The National Eye Institute states that the right protective eyewear can prevent 9 out of 10 sports-related eye injuries among children. Regular prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses do not serve as substitutes for protective sports eyewear.

Which Sports Have the Highest Risk of Eye Injuries?

Sports involving high-speed objects, close player contact, sticks, bats, or racquets tend to expose the eyes to greater injury risk.

The National Eye Institute categorizes the following as higher-risk activities.

Football, soccer, tennis, badminton, and golf also carry eye injury risks. The type of protection needed changes with the activity and the objects that could strike the face.

What Are the Most Common Sports-Related Eye Injuries?

Sports eye injuries vary depending on the force, direction, and object involved.

Blunt Trauma and Orbital Fractures

A basketball, baseball, puck, elbow, or another player’s body can strike the eye directly. Blunt trauma can cause swelling, bruising, bleeding inside the eye, retinal damage, or an orbital fracture involving the bones around the eye socket.

Corneal Abrasions and Penetrating Injuries

A fingernail, dirt, debris, or sports equipment can scratch the cornea. Sharp objects and broken eyewear can also penetrate the eye and cause worse damage.

How Can You Prevent Sports Eye Injuries?

Protecting your eyes starts with wearing gear designed for the activity rather than relying on everyday eyewear.

Wear Protective Eyewear Made for Your Sport

Different sports call for different forms of protection. Sports goggles work well for activities such as basketball and racquet sports. Baseball, hockey, football, and lacrosse can call for helmets, face guards, or shields based on the position and activity.

Choose Impact-Resistant Polycarbonate Lenses

Polycarbonate is widely used in protective sports eyewear due to its impact resistance. The National Eye Institute recommends sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses for activities such as basketball, soccer, racquetball, and squash.

Look for ASTM F803 and Sport-Specific Safety Standards

ASTM F803-25 is an active specification covering eye protectors for selected sports. Its requirements address factors such as impact resistance, optical quality, field of view, and other performance characteristics. Separate ASTM standards also apply to certain activities, including racquet sports, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, and paintball.

Make Sure Your Sports Eyewear Fits Properly

Sports eyewear should stay secure during running, jumping, turning, and physical contact. Straps, frames, and padding should sit comfortably without slipping.

Replace equipment with cracked lenses, loose frames, stretched straps, or other damage that could affect protection.

What Type of Eye Protection Should You Wear for Sports?

The right choice depends on the sport and whether you need vision correction.

Sports Goggles and Safety Glasses

Sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses work well for activities where balls, fingers, or racquets can reach the eye area. Look for eyewear designed for the specific sport rather than ordinary fashion frames.

Face Guards and Helmet Visors

Hockey, football, baseball, lacrosse, and similar sports can call for helmets with attached face protection. These designs protect a larger part of the face from pucks, balls, sticks, and player contact.

Prescription Sports Eyewear

Athletes who wear prescription glasses can ask an eye doctor about prescription sports goggles or protective eyewear made for corrective lenses. ASTM F803 applies to athletes who require corrective lenses as well as athletes who do not.

Sports Sunglasses for Outdoor Activities

Outdoor athletes should also think about UV exposure. Running sunglasses can help shield the eyes from sunlight, glare, wind, and debris during outdoor activities.

Can You Wear Contact Lenses While Playing Sports?

Contact lenses for sports can stay in place, avoid fogging, and preserve peripheral vision. They do not protect the eyes from impact.

Wearing Contact Lenses With Protective Sports Goggles

Athletes can wear contacts underneath non-prescription protective goggles when appropriate for the sport. This pairing combines vision correction with impact protection.

Contact lens wearers should remove their lenses before swimming, showering, entering a hot tub, or taking part in activities that expose lenses directly to water.

How Can Parents and Coaches Protect Young Athletes’ Eyes?

Children need eye protection during both practice and competition when their sport carries an injury risk. Parents and coaches can reinforce safer habits by

• Choosing protective eyewear designed for the sport
• Checking the fit before practices and games
• Replacing damaged lenses, frames, and straps
• Teaching athletes to keep protective gear on throughout play
• Asking an eye doctor about prescription sports eyewear when vision correction is needed

Youth leagues do not all require protective eyewear, which makes attention from parents and coaches especially relevant.

What Should You Do After a Sports Eye Injury?

Stop playing after a significant hit to the eye. Do not rub or press on the injured area.

For a blow from a ball, rock, elbow, or similar object, gently apply a cold compress for about 15 minutes and seek medical attention. If an object is stuck in the eye, do not pull it out or put pressure on it.

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