Sunglasses are not the only eyewear needed in the summer. Many of our summer activities require additional eye protection for safety. Whether you are pruning hedges, using a weed trimmer or lawn mower, or working under a car, you should protect yourself with safety glasses. Your glasses should comply with the standards set for industrial use by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). They should be made of a shatter-resistant polycarbonate material. Even safety lenses are not completely shatter-proof, so some common sense is needed. The polycarbonate material will also provide the needed UV protection.For those who enjoy summer sports, eyewear is needed on the field. The US Eye Injury Registry reports that 5% of serious eye injuries in the United States are baseball related. The baseball is just the right size to put significant pressure on the bones surrounding the eye or the eyeball itself. These injuries may include: orbital fractures which damage the bone structure surrounding the eye; corneal abrasions or scratches to the eye; hyphemas or bleeding within the eye; or retinal detachment where the rods and cones pull away from the back shell of the eye. The batter is at the greatest risk for these injuries. Face guards made of polycarbonate material on batting helmets could prevent a significant number of these injuries. If you play soccer, basketball, or football you also should wear proper protective eyewear. All persons who have had LASIK refractive surgery should be especially careful to prevent eye injuries which may cause the flap created during the surgery to shift. Regardless of the sport in which you participate, look for eyewear that has been approved for sports by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM).
