Research reveals connections between sports and eye injuries

A research reveals that the morbidity of sports-induced eye injuries among professional athletes is 10.69 percent, with most cases resulted from ball games and highly competitive sports, say researchers.

The results come from a study of Tianjin-based athletes in 25 sporting events. First of its kind in China, it indicates that 11.92 percent of cases are accompanied with vision impairment. It is conducted by a team led by Professor Yan Hua, president of Tianjin Medical University, and also recommends approaches to better prevention.

With a growing awareness of heath as they pursue a higher quality of life, more Chinese residents take exercises on a regular basis. But that brings about a notable uptick in sports-induced eye injuries. But when it comes to related research, current focus is on certain sporting events and targets those admitted to hospital, and few resources are invested in eye injuries among professional athletes.

In China, eye injuries are the leading cause of unilateral blindness, and the research outcomes can help sports fans better prevent eye injuries in doing exercise and provide guidance on the treatment of these injuries on the part of medical professionals.

To gain a full picture of sports-induced eye injuries, the team led by Professor Yan Hua will conduct similar research across the Asia Pacific region in light of their different geographical, economic and cultural background. The results may contribute to more targeted prevention and treatment efforts. Also, the team will engage with the China Ocular Trauma Society of Chinese Ophthalmological Society to improve registration of eye injuries cases and make a set of rules for effective prevention and treatment.