Now that school is back in session, it’s time for sports to begin. It is important to remember how easily sight threatening injuries can occur. Whether your an adult or child, an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure!

Just take it from 15 year old Angellia Lilmaiava, while going up for a two foot shot in a recent basketball tournament, she got poked in the eye. In horrible pain, she fell to the court.

“The pain was so bad that all I could do was lie on the court,” said Angellia, who plays for Aragon High School in San Mateo, Calif. “But even in that moment, it never occurred to me how long I’d be out. I was not thinking surgery. I thought I would be out for just a few days.” she told the American Academy of Ophthalomolgy.

Not too concerned at first, the emergency room physician prescribed eye drops to ward off any infection. But when Angellia started seeing flashing lights before her eyes a few days later, she realized it was something serious. Her retina had detached from the back of her eye.

When the retina becomes detached from the back of the eye, due to a sport related injury or advanced age, it can lead to reduced vision and even blindness.

Luckily Angellia got to her ophthalmologist in time, though she already had a bind spot in her peripheral vision. After surgery, Angellia made a full recovery and made it back to the basketball court four months later. She is now a public advocate for sports eye protection.

“Leading by example, she makes sure teammates, coaches and parents alike know that eye protection is a vital part of being prepared to play. Far from a hindrance, eye protection gives her the confidence to play hard.” AAO.

Every year there are tens of thousands sports related eye injuries. Last year’s study found about 30,000 Americans visit the emergency room because of sports related injuries. With proper eye protection, 90 percent of serious injuries could be avoided.

Any eye injury can be dangerous and need medical attention.  Contact Lake Nona Eye Care with any questions.