CHICAGO—According to recent data from Prevent Blindness, more injuries occur from water and pool activities than any other sport. To encourage wearing proper eye protection, PB has declared September as Sports Safety Awareness Month and has partnered with Liberty Sport to provide eyecare professionals with free information and materials through the September is Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness campaign.

Eye injuries range from infections and irritations to burns from chlorine and other chemicals, all the way to scratches or trauma from other swimmers. Wearing contact lenses during water activities also increases the risk for acanthamoeba keratitis—a severe, painful infection of the cornea and can lead to blindness if left untreated. Other sports with the most eye injuries include basketball, use of toy guns, baseball/softball and football.

As part of the awareness month, PB shares the following recommendations:

• For those who wear prescription glasses, ask an eye doctor for prescription eye guards. Monocular athletes (those with only one eye that sees well), should consult an eye doctor about what sports are safe to participate in.

• A sports helmet alone may not protect from eye injury. Additional safety eyewear should be used.

• Eye guards or sports protective eyewear should be labeled as ASTM F803 approved.

• Don't buy sports eye guards without lenses. Only "lensed" protectors are recommended for sports use. Make sure the lenses either stay in place or pop outward in the event of an accident. Lenses that pop in against the eyes can be very dangerous.

• Some frames have built-in venting solutions for ultimate performance. Lenses should have an anti-fog solution to prevent fogging of the lenses.

• Check the packaging to see whether the eye protector you select has been tested for sports use. Also check to see that the eye protector is made of polycarbonate material. Polycarbonate eye guards are the most impact resistant.

• Sports eye guards should be padded or cushioned along the brow and bridge of the nose. Padding will prevent the eye guards from cutting your skin.

• Try on the eye protector to determine if it's the right size. Adjust the strap and make sure it's not too tight or too loose. If you purchased your eye guards at an optical store, an optical representative can help you adjust the eye protector for a comfortable fit.

Prevent Blindness and Liberty Sport are offering free materials through the September is Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness Month program. To request a kit, contact Angela Gerber, Liberty Sport, at (973) 882-0986 x972 or agerber@libertysport.com.