Expert: Vic Winnek - 10/8/2007

Question
I Want To Know If I Can Wear A Dark visor (20% Gray) In High school Football I London Ontario Canada Could You Please Let Me Know A.S.A.P Thx

Answer
Travis
My expertise is with American Football rules, not Canadian football rules.  If you follow the US' National Federation Rules or the NCAA rule you may NOT wear a visor with any tint. 20% gray is tinting and illegal equipment under the US High School rules.

Treavis

I believe you sent another question asking for visor manufacturers who can make prescription visors.  here is some additional information
True or False: More than 90 percent of the 40,000 sports-related eye injuries occurring in the U.S. each year could be prevented simply by wearing protective eyewear during competition.

“Believe it or not, that 90 percent figure is absolutely accurate,” says VSP network doctor Karen Griffith, O.D., summarizing a recent study by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “As an optometrist, I think it’s tragic for someone to end up with a vision impairment from a sports injury that could have been avoided just by wearing impact-resistant glasses or goggles.”

Because a finger in the eye during a basketball game or a wild pitch in baseball could threaten eyesight, Dr. Griffith, of Petaluma , Calif. , recommends athletes playing these games and other high-risk sports — such as racquetball, water polo and downhill skiing — wear protective polycarbonate lenses. Increasingly, athletes rely on one-piece safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses instead of traditional glasses.

“If you prefer polycarbonate eyeglasses, remember to select a onepiece frame,” says Dr. Griffith. “You don’t want a frame or hinge snapping apart and damaging your eye.”

Sports that involve frequent contact and high-speed collisions between players — especially football, ice hockey and men’s lacrosse — require polycarbonate eye shields and face masks made of high-impact metal or plastic.

“Football players can easily find high-impact, transparent eye shields that attach directly to the helmet,” she says. “Hockey and lacrosse players can benefit from specially designed face masks that protect eyes from flying pucks or lacrosse balls.”

Dr. Griffith is quick to point out that children are especially at risk for sports-related eye injuries — with more than 41 percent of all such injuries taking place among athletes younger than 15.

“Protecting your child’s eyesight on the playing field is important,” says Dr. Griffith, who recently outfitted her 8-yearold daughter with a face shield for softball. “The good news is that you can easily get all the help you need simply by asking your eye doctor for guidance.”

Paintball Eye Injuries on the Upswing

A paintball often travels at 200 miles an hour when it leaves the barrel of a paintball gun. That’s twice the speed of the fastest pitcher in major league baseball.

Not surprisingly, eye injuries are common in this popular sport, in which players simulate combat by shooting one another with paint-filled pellets. And while some 2,500 paintball playing fields nationwide require safety goggles, many eye injuries occur during informal play in backyards or woods.

Paintball eye injuries can lead to serious and permanent damage. When researchers followed up on eye injuries treated in emergency rooms, 43 percent of players injured reported vision of 20/200 or worse.

The Big Five: Sports-Related Eye Injuries by the Numbers

These five sports cause the largest number of eye injuries each year, according to Prevent Blindness America:

Sport
Estimated Yearly
U.S. Eye Injuries
Recommended Protection

Basketball
8,500
Goggles with polycarbonate
lenses, padding at bridge of
nose and sides

Baseball
6,100
Batting helmet with face mask,
goggles with polycarbonate lenses

Swimming
3,400
Flexible goggles that fit around
and water sports eye socket, sturdy lenses with
antifog coating, UV protection

Racquetball
3,200
Goggles with
and court sports polycarbonate lenses

Football
2,200
Face mask, polycarbonate eye
shield that fits on helmet and
includes antifog coating, UV
protection and scratch resistance


Author:
Tom Nugent, StayWell Custom Communications

Reviewed By:
Dr. Denis Humphreys, O.D.
VSP Optometry Director

Dr. Mark Bronstein, M.D.
VSP Medical Director

Last Reviewed: November

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Victor Winnek
NCAA Football Official