Sports Injury Can Be More Than Meets the Eye
5 Eye Facts
1. Eyes sometimes appear red in photographs because the camera flash reflects off the retina.
2. More than half of Americans wear glasses, contact lenses or other corrective devices because of poor vision.
3. The human eye weighs about ¼ ounce.
4. The average person blinks once every five seconds. In other words, our eyes are closed about 30 minutes a day for blinking.
5. Some animals and tropical fish have more color vision cells than humans, allowing them to see colors invisible to people.
Updated April 2004 — Baseball may be America's game, but it's no great friend of the eyes. The sport of DiMaggio, Conine and Jeter poses one of the highest risks for eye injury, followed by basketball and boxing.
Every year in the United States, an estimated 40,000 eyes are hit, poked, jabbed, blackened, bloodied, scratched or detached during sports activities. With nationwide use of protective eyewear, that number could drop to about 4,000.
"Eye injuries are fairly common in any sport that has a flying object traveling at a high velocity and doesn't require the players to wear protective eyewear," says Tony Milian, athletic trainer at Memorial Hospital West Fitness & Rehabilitation Center.
"Most sports-related eye injuries are not serious," says Milian. "However, after assessment by an athletic trainer, the serious injuries are immediately sent to the emergency room for further care. You don't mess around with these injuries."
Protection and Prevention
Although fibrous and muscular, the eye is complex, delicate and vulnerable. It is small (about 1 inch in diameter), slightly flattened, hollow and full of fluid. Its main lines of defense are the socket, brow, lashes, lid and tears.
While effective, these defenses need reinforcement when threatened with balls, racquets, elbows and fingers. Protective eyewear varies by activity but isn't available or practical for activities such as wrestling, gymnastics and platform diving.
Other sports demand protective measures. Racquetball, squash, football and jai alai are potentially dangerous, but eye injuries are relatively rare because players are required to wear goggles or glasses. It's the same with softball and hockey. In addition to wearing eye guards, players use polycarbonate faceguards or masks, which are shatter- and scratch-resistant, protect against UV rays and provide clear views.
Common Eye Injuries
Eye injuries are often accompanied by severe pain, increased sensitivity to light, flashes of light, double vision and partial or complete vision loss.
A black eye is the result of bleeding in the tissue around the eye and, although fairly common, can indicate a serious problem. Treat with cold compresses and acetaminophen. Be wary of aspirin and ibuprofen, which can prevent blood from clotting. Do not sleep on or put pressure on the eye.
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the eyelid membrane, sometimes from trying to rub dirt out of the eye. Rubbing, however, can scratch the cornea. Instead, rinse the eye with artificial tears. See an ophthalmologist if the problem persists, vision deteriorates, the eyelid swells or other complications occur.
Seek immediate medical attention for the following:
- Orbital fractures occurring in the bones of the eye socket.
- Retinal detachment caused by the membrane in the back of the eye separating from its supporting layers. It is often described as a curtain or shadow falling over the eyes.
- Hyphema that appears like a black eye but is actually blood in the eye's anterior chamber, between the cornea and the lens.
Other Eye Injuries
Not all eye injuries are related to hits. Cut or punctured eyes and eyelids require immediate medical attention. In case of a puncture, do not remove the object from the eye; instead, cover the eye with a loose bandage and seek immediate medical help.
Long-term sun exposure might contribute to the development of cataracts and damage to the cornea. Eye sunburn, or photo-keratitis, is another danger, particularly on surfaces that reflect ultraviolet rays, such as snow, water and sand.
With any eye injury, see an ophthalmologist if the eye drains, pain persists, vision changes, bleeding occurs in the white area (sclera) or the eye appears abnormal in any way. Also, have your eyes checked annually, especially if you wear corrective lenses or have noticed a change in your vision.
Alternatives to Eyewear?
Most sports pose enough of a risk to make caution advisable. You'll rarely see a golfer wearing protective glasses, but think about a golf ball: It's hard, it travels fast and it's small enough to penetrate the eye socket farther than a baseball. If you want to protect your eyes, though, you have no choice except protective eyewear.
"There's not a whole lot else you can do to protect your eyes," says Milian. "It's tough, because you need to see what you're doing and your eyes have a lot to do with your movement. It's hard to protect your eyes and not hinder your performance."
But Milian would rather miss a pop fly than lose an eye. "It's the same theory as wearing a seatbelt," says Milian. "Better to be safe than sorry."
Minor injuries and illnesses can be treated at the Memorial Hospital Pembroke Urgent Care Center, 801 S. Douglas Road in Pembroke Pines. The center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, please call (800) 944-DOCS.
In case of serious injury, visit an emergency room as soon as possible. Have your vision and eyes checked annually. For referral to a physician or ophthalmologist, call the Memorial Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.