September is Sports Eye Safety Month
Protect Your Vision This Sports Eye Safety Month with ASTM Approved Eyewear
A fast-moving ball, a stray elbow, a racquet, a finger, or a fall can injure an eye in a split second. During September, Sports Eye Safety Month is a good reminder that vision protection belongs in the same category as helmets, mouthguards, pads, and proper shoes.
In 2025, 44,000 sports eye injuries were treated.
Many of these injuries happen during ordinary practices, pickup games, school sports, and recreational leagues. The good news is that the right protective eyewear can reduce risk. The key is choosing eyewear made for the sport, not relying on everyday glasses or sunglasses.
This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Anyone with an eye injury should seek prompt care from a qualified eye care or medical professional.
Sports eye injuries can happen in many games
Eye injuries are not limited to high-contact sports. They can happen in sports with balls, sticks, racquets, hands, elbows, or close player contact.
Common activities linked with eye injury risk include:
Basketball
Baseball and softball
Racquetball, squash, and tennis
Soccer
Hockey and field hockey
Lacrosse
Football
Paintball
Martial arts
Swimming and water sports
The type of injury can vary. A ball may cause blunt trauma. A finger can scratch the surface of the eye. A stick or racquet can strike the face. Dust, debris, or pool chemicals can irritate or damage the eyes.
Some injuries heal with treatment. Others can affect vision long term. That is why prevention matters before the first whistle, pitch, serve, or jump ball.
Regular glasses are not sports eye protection
Prescription glasses help people see clearly. Sunglasses reduce glare. Contact lenses correct vision without frames. Occupational safety glasses help protect workers from certain workplace hazards.
None of these should be treated as a replacement for proper sports eyewear.
Regular prescription glasses can break on impact. The frames may not cover enough of the eye area. Sunglasses often lack the impact resistance needed for sports. Contact lenses offer no impact protection at all. Even occupational safety glasses may not be built for the speed, force, angle, or contact patterns found in a specific sport.
That difference matters. Sports eyewear must protect against real game conditions, including sudden impact and movement. It also needs to stay in place during running, turning, sweating, and contact.
For athletes who need vision correction, many sports goggles can be made with prescription lenses or worn in a way that works with contact lenses. An eye care professional can help match a player’s prescription needs with the right protective option.
ASTM standards help identify the right eyewear
When choosing protective eyewear, look for products that meet sport-specific ASTM standards. ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials, now known as ASTM International. It develops technical standards used across many products, including protective sports equipment.
For sports eyewear, ASTM standards help address impact resistance, lens strength, frame strength, coverage, and performance for specific activities. The phrase “sport-specific” is important because sports do not create the same risks.
A pair of goggles designed for basketball may not be the right choice for lacrosse. Protective eyewear for racquet sports may differ from eyewear used in paintball or hockey. A swimmer’s goggles serve a different purpose than a face shield used in a stick sport.
When shopping, check the packaging, product description, or manufacturer’s information for the relevant ASTM standard. If the information is unclear, ask an eye care professional, athletic trainer, coach, or sporting goods specialist for help.
A simple buying rule can help:
If the eyewear does not clearly state that it meets the right ASTM standard for the sport, keep looking.
Fit and comfort affect whether eyewear gets worn
Even the best protective eyewear cannot help if it stays in a locker bag. Fit, comfort, and visibility all play a role in whether athletes wear it consistently.
Good sports eyewear should:
Sit securely without slipping
Cover the eyes from the front and sides
Match the sport and level of play
Allow clear vision in all directions
Work with helmets, face guards, or other gear when needed
Feel comfortable enough for a full practice or game
For children and teens, fit matters even more because they grow. Protective eyewear that worked last season may be too tight, too loose, or poorly aligned this year. Parents, coaches, and athletes should check equipment before each season and replace damaged eyewear right away.
Scratched lenses, cracked frames, loose straps, or bent parts can reduce protection. Protective eyewear should be treated like a helmet. If it is damaged, it should not be ignored.
Coaches and families can make eye safety normal
Sports culture shapes habits. When protective eyewear is treated as normal, athletes are more likely to wear it without resistance.
Coaches can help by adding eye protection checks to regular equipment routines. Parents can keep backup eyewear in a sports bag. Schools and leagues can include eye safety in preseason reminders. Teammates can support each other by making protective gear part of the uniform, not an optional extra.
This is especially helpful for younger players. A child who learns early that goggles are part of basketball, racquet sports, lacrosse, or baseball is more likely to carry that habit into higher levels of play.
Eye safety also deserves attention during informal sports. Pickup games, backyard practice, and recreational play still involve speed, contact, and unpredictable movement. Injuries do not only happen during official competition.
What to do if an eye injury happens
Fast action can protect vision after an injury. Do not try to “tough it out” if there is pain, vision change, bleeding, swelling, light sensitivity, or a feeling that something is stuck in the eye.
General safety steps include:
Stop playing right away
Avoid rubbing or pressing on the eye
Do not remove objects stuck in the eye
Seek medical care promptly
Follow return-to-play guidance from a qualified professional
For chemical exposure, such as pool chemicals or field substances, rinse the eye with clean water if advised by emergency guidance and seek help. For direct trauma, cover the eye gently if needed, but avoid pressure.
The safest plan is prevention, but quick care matters when prevention is not enough.
Make eye protection part of every season
Sports build strength, confidence, teamwork, and joy. Protecting vision helps athletes keep playing the games they love.
This Sports Eye Safety Month, take a few minutes to check the eyewear used for practices and games. Make sure it is not just comfortable or stylish, but made for the sport and marked as meeting the correct ASTM standard.
Prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and workplace safety glasses are not enough for sports impact. ASTM-approved sports eyewear is the better choice for protecting vision during play.
To learn more about vision resources and support, visit the New York State Commission for the Blind.
The best time to protect your eyes is before the injury happens. Pack the right eyewear, wear it every time, and make vision safety part of the game.
