
For the Austin ophthalmologists, the idea of young children participating in contact- or competitive sports is a bittersweet proposition. The reason for concern is tied to risks of eye injury. Those who play these sports – regardless of age – are in increased danger of serious damage that could lead to even worse long-term complications. The sports with the highest risk include those that involve regular blows to the body, such as boxing, wrestling, or martial arts. This makes perfect sense as a ill-placed hand to the eye could result in serious harm. However, these are not the only extracurricular activities that could lead to eye injury. Any contact sport could result in unintentional harm. These include baseball, football, tennis, fencing, squash, lacrosse, hockey, basketball and more.
It isn’t just athletics that carries concern for a glaucoma specialist. Certain professions also host risk for the eyes. Careers in construction, medicine, and other fields that involve exposure to particulates, chemicals, or hot liquids involve danger of injury.
Direct blows suffered in sports, car accidents, or unforeseen situations can crush the bones at the back of the eye, damage the eye ball, or harm the protective tissue around it. Even after this heals, vision can be interrupted, blurred, or ruined entirely. There is always risk of blindness or contraction of several different common eye conditions. Furthermore, it is important to note that a black eye or cut on the eyelid can be a warning sign of worse damage beneath the surface. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to be sure that the eye was not damaged. If it was, it may be possible to lessen the impact of the injury if trained hands have immediate access to it.
Burns to the sensitive eye tissue can also be very severe and result and may result is permanent damage. They can occur when the eye comes in contact with liquid chemicals, gasses, or even hot steam. Sunlight, just as it can cause sunburn on the skin, can be equally as damaging to the eyes. An ophthalmologist will always recommend certain behaviors to defend against these types of injury.
First of all, if a chemical comes in contact with the eye, it should be flushed immediately. Though it can take up to twenty-four hours to determine the severity of the burn, often it is possible to avoid any lasting injury by removing the chemical as quickly as possible. Sunburns, of course, can be prevented by wearing sunglasses regularly. This includes overcast days. Though it may not be too bright to disrupt vision, the UVA and UVB lights can still reach the eyes and leave a lasting impression.
Many substances can damage the eye upon entering it, including dust, debris, makeup, or even a
stray eyelash. A scratched cornea will typically heal on its own, but can be very irritating and uncomfortable. However, when the object is hurdled at the eye, it can cause more serious complications. This is the case when grass is blown from a mower, wood from a saw, metal chips from a grinder, etc. Cases like this should be seen by an ophthalmologist ASAP. Such situations can be prevented by wearing protective eye-gear whether on the field, on the court, or in the factory.
Austin, TX,
78745-1193
image via Flickr by mcgraths








