Industry groups seek your involvement to help protect kids from sports-related eye injuries

Fairfield, NJ-Just in time for back-to-school, Prevent Blindness America (PBA), The Coalition to Prevent Sports Eye Injuries (CPSEI), and Liberty Sport continue to support September is Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness Month to help educate the public on the importance of wearing proper eye protection while playing sports.

The organizations teamed up 3 years ago to launch an awareness campaign directed at eyecare professionals (ECPs), specifically ECPs of certified Sports Eye Injury Prevention Centers (SEIPCs).

“This year, our target is to add an additional 2,500 providers for a total of 7,500 accounts supporting the September campaign,” said Anthony M. DiChiara, chief executive officer of Liberty Sport. Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of PBA, said, “The program aims to help educate the public on the simple steps they can take to ensure a lifetime of healthy vision.”

According to PBA data, during 2012 there were more than 13,000 eye injuries sustained by children ages 0-14 alone. In order to continue to relay the important message to patients on the importance of proper eye protection, the 3 groups are once again offering the September is Sports Eye Injury Prevention Awareness Month kit containing in-office support materials and consumer outreach materials.

“Preventing Sports Eye Injuries is my passion,” said Paul Berman, OD, FAAO, and chairman of CPSEI. “After working with Liberty Sport to convert ECP offices to SEIPCs during the past 4 years, we are pleased by the results of their internal studies showing that by instituting the steps of the SEIPC, their office sales have increased an average of 150%, while also leading to a greater decrease in this tragic loss of the priceless gift of sight.”