When it comes to sports, eye protection is often overlooked or underestimated by players, coaches, parents, educators, and even the vision care professionals. According to Prevent Blindness America, appropriate protective eye gear can decrease sports related eye injuries by 90%. In 1992, hospital emergency rooms treated more than 48,000 sports and recreational related eye injuries*. The vast majority of which occurred to individuals participating in baseball, basketball, swimming and racquet sports. Even sports that have relatively conservative physical involvement (i.e. golf) have substantial potential for injury.

Regardless of the sport, specific attention must be paid to the following areas: (1) ultra-violet or sun protection (2) glare protection and (3) safety from direct impact. Just as you would never allow a player to perform without appropriate headgear or body armor, proper eyewear must also be mandatory.

At Rochester Optical, we provide durable, high quality lenses that may be plano or custom made to meet the actual visual needs of the player, coach, umpire or referee. Polycarbonate lenses feature specific advantages: (1) thinner and more lightweight than other conventional lenses (2) maximum ultraviolet protection (3) greatest impact resistance (4) lenses can be tinted or treated with anti-reflective coating and (4) all polycarbonate lenses include a scratch coating.

*statistics based upon research provided by Pamela Joyce Miller, O.D., F.A.A.O., J.D.