NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eye injuries among female lacrosse
players dropped dramatically after US Lacrosse, the governing
board for the sport, required protective eyewear in 2004,
according to a new study. "I am impressed, but not surprised,"
said Dr. Stuart Dankner, a pediatric ophthalmologist who sits on
the eye safety committee of the American Academy of
Ophthalmology. Dankner, who was not involved in the new study,
said that eye protection has reduced injuries in hockey,
baseball and other sports. "It's just a shame that it took so
long" to become mandated for women's lacrosse, he added. Men's
lacrosse, which is considered a collision sport, introduced eye
gear before the women's game, which is a non-contact sport.
Dankner told Reuters Health that he has treated cases of severe
eye injury among girls who played lacrosse, either from getting
smacked with the stick, colliding with another player, or
getting hit with the ball. In 2005, after urgings from the
American Academy of Ophthalmology and other gro