Eye injuries among pennant squash players and their attitudes towards protective eyewear.
A questionnaire survey on eye injuries and attitudes towards protective eyewear was conducted among 165 metropolitan pennant squash players; 163 (99%) valid responses were received. The incidence of eye injuries in the survey sample was found to be 17.5 per 100,000 playing hours with a significant proportion (26%) indicating that they had suffered at least one eye injury. Racquets were more common as the source of injury (61%) than squash balls. A large proportion of those injured consulted a doctor (63%) with approximately one-third (or 5% of the total survey sample) having been admitted to hospital for the injury. Only 8% of the sample used appropriate protective eyewear with an additional 2% believing their prescription lenses were a form of protection. The main reason given for using protective eyewear was previous injury to self or others (65% of cases). Doctors and media promotion rated poorly in causing players to use eyewear (6% for each). Most respondents believed eyewear to be of benefit, but fewer than half felt that eyewear should be made compulsory for all players. Only 6% of players said that they would give up the game if use of eyewear was made compulsory.
Genovese
M T
MT
University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
Lenzo
N P
NP
Lim
R K
RK
Morkel
D R
DR
Jamrozik
K D
KD
D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015865:Racquet Sports / Q000293:injuries*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires