Question: My son is starting Little League soon and normally wears glasses for school. Should I be looking to get him fit with some prescription sports goggles, or will his regular glasses be fine?
Answer: With ski season ending and baseball season beginning, we are all spending more time outside working and playing, making it the perfect time to review eye protection for outdoor activities in general–for sports like baseball, yes, but also for hobbies like gardening and woodworking, too. Standard sunglasses and everyday eyeglasses often fail to provide the necessary impact resistance or full coverage required for these more demanding activities, yet many people expect one pair of glasses to do it all. We have different shoes for different activities; shouldn’t the same apply to eyewear? After all, you wouldn’t wear dress shoes to complete a triathlon.
For sports, whether you need prescription or non-prescription glasses, choose eyewear certified to a recognized standard such as ASTM F803 or similar for shatterproof properties and impact absorption. These protective sports frames often include injury-preventing features such as cushioning on the bridge and have lenses made of polycarbonate that won’t break. Similarly, before you get out the weedwhacker, pruning shears or bandsaw, you should be donning industrial safety glasses that are either CSA certified or meet ANSI standard Z87.1. Any glasses bearing these lovely acronyms have met strict requirements for impact resistance, frame strength, and side protection from flying debris or splashes.
If you do experience an eye-related mishap, a visit to your optometrist or other medical professional to have your injury checked out isin order. Seek immediate care if you notice vision changes, pupils of different sizes, significant pain, blood inside the eye, or a cut, puncture, or foreign body on the eye’s surface. Since it can be difficult to judge how serious or not an eye injury is based on howit looks orfeels, always have a healthcare provider examine it when in doubt, and let them guide your treatment. With that in mind, put on your eye protection and get out there to enjoy those longer, warmer days!
At Mayfair Optometric Clinic we provide a welcoming environment for patients to receive eye exams and pick out the perfect eyewear that works for each individual.
Please give us a call to book your appointment with Dr. Peddle, Dr. Stasiuk or myself
