The American Academy of Ophthalmology is concerned about the increasing number of sports related eye injuries.

The Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology rank the following sports with the most to the least sports eye injuries as:

1. Baseball
2. Basketball
3. Bicycling
4. Football
5. Racquet Ball Sports (Squash, Racquet Ball)
6. Tennis
7. Soccer
8. Swimming
9. Hockey
10. Volleyball
11. Boxing

Approximately one-half of the eye injuries from racquet sports are inflicted by the racquet itself.

This type of blunt injury frequently results in ocular contusion at the site of impact. In most patients, the impact is on the cornea or the limbus, causing damage to the underlying vascular tissues. This can lead to bleeding into the anterior chamber of the eye and is called a hyphema.

After the initial pain associated with the impact, a dull ache continues for several hours. Your vision may be markedly reduced, but will improve as the hyphema (blood clot) settles.

Occasionally, there may be some bleeding of the sclera, or the white of your eye. This looks quite alarming, but represents exterior bleeding which is not nearly as consequential as interior bleeding.

Contact sports frequently experience scratched and abraded corneas from inadvertent finger pokes. These are very painful, irritating and result in watering and blurred vision.
Eye Injury Prevention

Prevention of sports related eye injuries is a goal of The American Academy of Ophthalmology and all sports related organizations.

Prevention is focused upon two- (2) major modalities:

1.Prevention through rules development, enforcement and penalties.
2.Prevention through protective devices.

Obviously, we all know of potential rules such as "high sticking" in hockey and "head slapping" in football. The scope of this brochure is not to focus upon game rules, but rather the devices and eye ware that can prevent eye related sports injuries.

Facemasks are common place in football and hockey, but are being seen in more of the racquet sports.

Protective eye ware is the most effective device available in the fight to prevent eye injuries from your favorite athletic pursuit. Unfortunately, many view these protective devices as a nuisance and "nerdy" product. We believe that organized athletics will one day require such devices just as the National Football League now requires Helmets and facemasks. We now see eye shields being added to many football helmets and swimmers frequenting the swim goggles.

Sports goggles are increasing in popularity, with several NBA stars relying upon them for protection from inadvertent finger poke injuries. Sports goggles hold the greatest potential for the future of reducing sports related eye injuries. These goggles are constructed to meet the ANSI standards for strength and durability. They are virtually 100 % effective n averting potentially vision threatening eye injuries from most sporting activities.

Many feel that sports goggles represent a threatening, daunting and intimidating image.
Protective Devices, Sports Goggles

These devices have many features that are important to the athlete:

1.They can be custom fit for comfort and optimal visual focus.
2.Corrective prescriptions can be included in virtually every product from swim goggles to diving masks.
3.Replaceable sweat pads reduce the irritation of stinging sweat entering the eyes.
4.Anti-fog treatments can be included where important such as dive masks, ski goggles, etc.
5.The goggles can be custom ordered to match and enhance your school colors.
6.Large orders can be made to appear a part of the normal sports uniform.
7.Anti-Reflective coatings can be included to reduce glare from stadium lights or the bright sun on a snow-covered slop.
8.Assorted straps are available to assure your comfort and satisfaction.

Coaches, trainers or team physicians that are interested in a demonstration of the various products and their eye protective features should call to arrange an onsite visit to your facility. We can also demonstrate the team uniform concept of these products to your team or interested parties.

Lor-Ron Optical specializes in the following optical needs of our patients;
1.Sports protection
2.Industrial Safety Glasses
3.Low Vision Devices
4.High Fashion Frames and Stylish Designs
5.Standard Optical Eye Ware

All of our opticians are certified by The American Board of Opticinary. Our organization is owned and managed by West Reading Ophthalmology. We were established in 1967 in West Reading, and have now grown to three locations to better serve our patients.