At a little league baseball practice in South Florida, a coach stepped into the catcher’s box to warm up a pitcher— without putting on a mask.

The result: He took a ball to the face, causing a laceration and bruising around the eye, according to Amanda Nanasy, OD, co-owner of The Eye Center of Pembroke Pines, director of the Florida Institute of Sports Vision, and team optometrist for several Miami-based professional teams.

Although the coach was spared any serious damage, Dr. Nanasy says she still discussed with him the importance of eye protection for anyone on the field.

Her discussion with the coach is well founded. Specifically, 90% of serious eye injuries could be prevented by wearing protective eyewear, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Here, Dr. Nanasy and Ciara Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, owner at Optical Intuition, provide tips on how to protect the athlete’s vision.

Prescribe for Needs

Consider the importance of correction and protection within each sport, notes Dr. Nanasy. In the case of pickleball, for example, she recommends her fellow ODs consider the proximity of the athlete in relation to where/how the ball is being hit.

As pickleball is not-too-distant from racquetball during which safety eyewear is required and mandated, she recommends protective eyewear for both sports. Pickleball injuries are becoming more frequent in many practices, she notes.

“Many of these athletes would also benefit from optimizing their visual acuity and contrast with a high-quality contact lens or sports prescription glasses as an alternative,” Dr. Nanasy points out.

Use Assistance

Ms. Collins, who was among the expert lecturers at the International Sports Vision Conference, says opticians can assist the optometrist by asking detailed questions about the patient’s sport, such as the color of the ball and the time of day they play.

For example, she says assessing the athlete’s on-field visual needs helps the optician suggest frame options to optimize vision where the athlete needs it most.

Ms. Collins adds that she optimizes athletic vision with compensated lens designs, which address unwanted astigmatism and prism. She also discusses tint options and lens materials.”

“We don’t stop until all of the athlete’s needs are met,” Ms. Collins says. “We let them make decisions, and we offer complete solutions.” OM