Gear Up!

There's more to lose than the game. Use protective eyewear.

For the Media

Press Contact:
NEI Information Office
Telephone: 301-496-5248
E-mail: neinews@nei.nih.gov

Every 13 minutes an emergency room in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury.� According to recent statistics, children aged 15 and under account for nearly one-third of all hospital admissions for eye trauma and 43 percent of all sports and recreational eye injuries overall.

Ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries can be prevented with the use of proper protective eyewear.� Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity.� Correct protection requires meeting the specifications established for a specific sport, such as the American Society for Testing and Materials standards outlined on the American Optometric Association Website.

Please join us during Healthy Vision Month 2008 to educate children, parents, and coaches about the need for using protective eyewear during sports-related activities.