Protecting Your Child's Eyes

As summertime rolls around, great opportunities will arise for your child to participate in sports and other fun activities. Just remember that as paintballs, fireworks and other objects go flying, eye protection is a necessity—and the best thing parents can do is make sure it’s used appropriately.

Eye protection is recommended for use during any activity that involves projectiles—such as paintball and racquetball or while near fireworks. A basic paintball mask made with bicarbonate lenses and goggles can be good options and are located in the sporting goods section of your local discount store.

Preventing Injury
According to Susan Culican, MD, PhD, pediatric ophthalmologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, paintball injuries are the leading cause of traumatic injury to the eyes among children, and they can even lead to blindness.

“Supervision is the most important factor in ensuring your child is protected,” Dr. Culican says. “Kids will be kids, and they will generally take the path of least resistance, which may mean removing important protective gear if they are not constantly supervised. It’s imperative for parents to check in to ensure their child’s eye protection remains in place.”