Bronni Vision Boutique Downriver Glasses Eyeglasses

 Myth. Wearing everyday street eye wear or fashion sun wear while 
participating in sports minimizes the potential for eye injury.
Fact. Regular prescription eyeglasses and fashion sun wear do not provide 
adequate protection and are not held to the same performance standards 
as eye wear labeled for protective use-such as Rec Specs. The lens in 
your child?s frames could pop out and puncture or cut the eye or the 
frame itself could cause an injury.
 
Myth. Only children are at a high risk for sports-related eye injuries.
Fact. While school-aged children between the ages of 5 to 14 represent 
the largest segment of sports-related eye injuries, every athlete?s eyes 
are targets for an injury. Regardless of an individual?s age or skill 
level, even advanced athletes may suffer injuries as a result of 
aggressive play.
 
Myth. Contact lens wearers do not need eye protection.
Fact. Contact lenses may give you or your child good vision, bur no 
contact lens, hard or soft can protect against eye injury. Impact to the 
eye can dislodge the lens or fold over a contact lens putting an adult 
or child at risk for eye injury.
 
Myth. Wearing a helmet or faceguard protects your children?s eyes from 
injuries.
Fact. Your child?s eyes are still exposed to danger from an opponents 
fingers or parts of the sports equipment that can penetrate the openings 
of a facemask. The helmet can also be knocked off leaving them 
completely vulnerable to injury.
 
Myth. Sport protective eye wear fitted with glass or ordinary plastic 
lenses provide adequate protection against injury.
Fact. Only poly carbonate lenses are recommended for use in protective 
sports eyewear. Rec Specs protective sports eye wear require 
poly carbonate lenses at least 2.0mm thick. Never wear protective eye wear 
without the appropriate poly carbonate lenses.
 

Will Your Child Be The Next Statistic?
/By Dr. Paul Berman O.D., F.A.A.O./
 
*Understanding The Risks*
The results of a 2001 study by Prevent Blindness America show over 
38,000 people experienced a sport related eye injury and needed 
emergency room treatment and in some cases, even further attention. Some 
of the highest eye injuries occur in children between the ages of 5 to 
14 and are caused by participation in basketball, baseball, softball, 
football, racquet sports and swimming,
Nearly one-half of eye injuries require costly emergency room care. It’s 
also important to remember that even if an eye injury seems to be minor; 
it may be serious. Loss of vision, severe pain or tenderness and cuts 
around the eye require immediate medical attention.
 
*Don’t Be Duped *
If your child plays a sport that requires a helmet or faceguard, don’t 
make the mistake of thinking your child’s eyes are protected from 
injuries. Your child’s eyes are still exposed to danger from sports 
equipment, or an opponent’s fingers penetrating the openings of a facemask.
 
Likewise, if your child wears glasses, everyday fashion eyewear is not 
held to the same protective standards as re eyewear products labeled as 
protective eyewear for sports use. The lens in your child’s regular 
eyeglasses could easily pop out and puncture or cut the eye. A frame 
mangled from impact could also injure the eyes and ocular region of the 
face.
 
*You Can Take Action*
The good news is that you can help prevent your child from being 
sidelined because of a serious eye injury. You can make the decision to 
protect their eyes as well as the rest of their body by adding 
protective sport goggles to their equipment bag.
While sport goggles provide significant protection, they cannot 
guarantee too be unbreakable or guard against all foreseeable impacts. 
However, a quality pair of sport goggles, equipped with polycarbonate 
lenses, can be sight savers since they help the eyes and surrounding 
ocular region safe. For kids who need corrective prescription lenses, 
your eyecare professional can make a pair of prescription lenses that 
fit into their sports goggle.
 
Don’t wait for your child to become the next eye injury statistic…add 
protective sport goggles to their sports gear.
 
(Paul Berman is a private practice optometrist located in Hackensack, 
New Jersey. He has been in practice for over 25 years. A past chair of 
the Sports Vision Section of the AOA, Paul was the 1998 New Jersey 
Optometrist of the Year and the 2000 Sports Vision Optometrist of the 
Year. He has been a consultant for Olympic teams and professional 
organizations including the New Jersey Nets, New York Giants, and 
currently with the New Jersey Devils. Dr. Berman has been on the faculty 
of the State University of New York, State College of Optometry and has 
lectured internationally on sports vision. He is most proud of being the 
founder and global clinical director of Special Olympics Opening Eyes; a 
program devoted to making people with mental retardation around the 
world see better. Recently, Dr. Berman was the recipient of the American 
Optometric Association’s Sportsvision Optometrist of the Year Award.)