Every year in the U.S., more than 600,000 sports and recreation related eye injuries occur.  The majority of them are in people ages 5-24.  Prevention is the best defense against these eye injuries.  Protection eyewear during activites such as basketball, baseball, volleyball, racquetball, water polo, and golf is highly recommended.  These activites pose as a high to moderate risk of eye injury.  Research has shown more than 84% of children do not wear protective eyewear during risky activities. 

Safety sports glasses are built for impact with cushioning around the edges and lenses made of polycarbonate material.  Polycarbonate lenses have been tested to withstand the impact from a projectile traveling at 90 miles per hour.  Polycarbonate lenses are available in both prescription and non-prescription.

Swim goggles in addition to providing UV protection help limit esposure to chlorine.  The goggles also help keep foreign matter in the water from entering the eyes.

The safety and swim goggles also provide protection from the sun.  Polycarbonate lenses come with protective UV coating.  Studies have shown that children get about three times the annual UV exposure that adults do.  As much as 80% of lifetime UV exposure occurs before the age of 20.  Young eyes are also able to filter UV rays, so the sun can do more internal damage to a child's eye than it does to adult's eyes.