Washington, DC (May 27, 2009) – Phoenix Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire joined national vision experts on Friday, May 29, to share his recent personal experience with a season-ending sports-related eye injury. In late February, Stoudemire underwent surgery to repair a detached retina following an on-court incident. The injury and subsequent surgery ended the all-star’s season, which led Stoudemire to declare he will never again play basketball without protective eyewear.

“There is no doubt in my mind that if I had kept wearing protective eyewear, I would have prevented my eye injury,” said Stoudemire.  “I am committed to wearing protective eyewear anytime I am on the court, and I encourage all athletes to do the same.”

Sports-related eye injuries are very common, yet many Americans do not wear protective eyewear. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), more than 100,000 eye injuries related to sports and recreation occur each year and 42,000 require a trip to the emergency room. These types of eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children.

“The Vision Council encourages all sports enthusiasts, both professional athletes and ‘weekend warriors,’ to wear protective eyewear,” said Ed Greene, CEO, The Vision Council. “The good news is that more than 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries are preventable if people just remember to wear appropriate protective eyewear.

”Any activity or sport that uses a ball or racket, involves rough contact with other players or requires travel at high speeds poses a risk for serious eye injuries. Wearing protective eyewear for these activities should be considered as vital as wearing a helmet or pads.

The Vision Council, along with other leading vision groups, recommends wearing protective eyewear that meets or exceeds industry standards. Look for the following features when selecting protective eyewear:

·         Polycarbonate lenses, a type of clear plastic that is impact-resistant.

·         100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection and a scratch-resistant coating.

·         Padded or rubber nose bridges for comfort.

·         Deep-grooved eye wires to keep the lenses from falling out if the frame is hit hard.

·         A face-formed shape to provide a wider field of vision.

·         Headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping. 

The Vision Summit, an annual meeting of The Vision Council’s Better Vision Institute held a series of panels on Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29, in Washington, DC. Participants at the Summit discussed research and best practices for protecting vision in the home, at work, during sports activity and from exposure to ultraviolet rays. 

For more information about the Vision Summit, or to learn more about the types of protective eyewear that are best for you, visit www.thevisioncouncil.org.

The Better Vision Institute is a unique body that brings together the vision community's three professional disciplines - ophthalmology, optometry and opticianry. It provides the only forum in which these three professions can come together to address American's vision health. It is an independent, non-profit advisory board to The Vision Council, a non-profit trade organization dedicated to better vision care for all people.