Both Dr. Seth and myself enjoy playing racquetball. Having the right equipment is critical to enjoying the game, playing well, and being safe. However, I have noticed that one piece of equipment is often neglected—eye protection. You should never play racquetball without eye protection. It seems that many people in the racquetball court don’t have an understanding of that importance.
If a person is hit in the eye with a racquet, a ball, or an elbow, the outcome can be really bad. I have seen an eye filled with blood from a racquetball injury, I have seen traumatic glaucoma from a racquetball injury, and I have a friend that suffered a retinal detachment from a racquetball injury. None of these injuries were insignificant as all required ongoing therapy.
I realize that most people never go into a racquetball court as it takes a special kind of crazy to enjoy the game knowing you are going to get hit (and hit hard) every now and again. So, how does my racquetball eye-related analogy relate to a person who never goes into a racquetball court?
Here are some other activities where I have seen a traumatic eye injury occur:
As you are doing those activities you love to do, please do not forget to protect your eyes. You only get one pair of eyes, and you may not get a second chance when it comes to protecting them.
Don’t forget to keep your eyes safe.