“I have perfect vision. And, even if the doctor tells me to, I don’t want to wear glasses. But my coach thinks we should all wear some kind of goggles out in field. Should I protect my eyes when I play baseball?” —Scott, 13, Peter Cooper Village
I’d like to start by saying “listen to your coach!” An estimated 40,000 sports eye injuries occur every year and in fact, sports are the number one cause of eye injuries in children under 16.
Little League pitchers may throw the ball up to 70 mph, which is fast enough to break bones and do serious eye damage.Proper protective eyewear, such as polycarbonate lenses, can prevent up to 90 percent of these injuries. So ask your eye doctor which eyewear is right for you. And don’t worry, there is no evidence that wearing eye protection hampers athletic performance. Many famous athletes, including MLB Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson have done just fine in their careers while wearing protective eyewear!
Bio: Emily Zimmerman, MD is a Board Certified, Fellowship Trained ophthalmologist specializing in comprehensive eye care and glaucoma. She practices at Manhattan’s Physician Group in New York City.
