USC Health Now

Ask the USC Doc

Q. I have a 7-year-old son who is starting to explore different sports and I’m concerned about eye injuries. What activities warrant the use of protective eyewear?

A. According to John A. Irvine, M.D., the A. Ray Irvine Chair in Clinical Ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the first thing for parents to do is make sure that their children’s eyes are being protected from UV rays during outdoor sports. “Sunglasses should block 98 percent of UVA and UVB radiation,” he says. “This information is listed on a sticker found on the lens.” In addition, for any kind of sport where you have a small ball, such as racquetball, handball, baseball or lacrosse, everyone—regardless of age—should wear gear to protect against the ball hitting the eye, says Irvine. He says that most sporting goods stores should carry protective glasses and that you should look for polycarbonate lenses, which are shatterproof. In sports like football or basketball, consideration should be given to protective eyewear to protect from accidental finger jabs into the eyes that can occur during tackling or playing in close quarters. “Professional basketball players often wear protective eyewear, as they are prone to being poked in the eye,” says Irvine. “Even a lot of college football players are now wearing visors over their eyes.” In honor of Healthy Vision Month, the National Institutes of Health site has more information on this important issue here.

Quick Tip

It’s normal for sweat to have a slight odor, but if you notice a change in your natural scent when exercising, you may want to be screened for diabetes. “If a person is not producing enough insulin, he will start burning his own fat instead of the usual sugar stores,” says Allan Abbott, M.D., an internist specializing in sports medicine and professor of clinical family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. This process could cause an odor similar to acetone.