title: Sports injuries: an ounce of prevention and a pound of cure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and review the literature regarding sports-related eye injuries and prevention through appropriate protective eyewear.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature was reviewed regarding sports-related eye injuries and prevention of these injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The review of the literature suggests that ocular sports injuries can occur with all sports and affects all ages. These injuries may affect professional athletes and amateur athletes around the world. There are between 40,000 and 600,000 documented sports-related ocular injuries in the United States every year. More than 90% of these ocular injuries from sports are preventable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of sports-related eye injuries are preventable. Increased recognition of the risks of eye injury playing sports may lead to improved protection and a decreased morbidity from eye injuries. To help prevent sports-related eye injuries, education of athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, referees, and health care practitioners is critical.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Eye Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wee
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology