Eye Protection…Not Just For The Shooting Sports Anymore

Question.   Name the sport now considered number one for eye injuries.   Answer…is it:  
a) Basketball
b) Racquet ball
c) Squash
d) Fishing
There you have it…I made it simple for you by making it multiple choice.   I’ll give you a hint…up until recently, this sport trailed the other three sports in terms of emergency room visits due to ocular-related injuries.   Think you know the answer?   Well, chances are it shouldn’t completely surprise you…yet, most of us don’t think too much about it.

That’s right.   Fishing is now the most dangerous sport to the eyes being reported.   Serious injuries resulting in permanent blindness or suffering severe impairment can result from a fish hook errantly casted causing direct contact with the eye.   Heck, it doesn’t even need to be a fish hook…in fact, a heavy sinker can even cause the damage.

To read more on the topic, look here.

Honestly, I can name a handful of people who have been impaled by fish hooks.   The arm, the hand or even on the leg.   Heck, I once knew a guy who was so careless he actually sat on a barbed hook and you know where that bad boy ended up.   Ouch!   Hooks into soft-tissue are one matter, but a hook to the eye is a very serious injury that should not be taken lightly.   How you deal with the injury can mean the difference between sight and blindness.

The simple answer for prevention?   Wear a hat and wear some glasses.   Safety glasses are best, but to be honest any type of eyeglasses will likely deflect a hook that might otherwise do damage.   Really, a fisherman ought to be wearing polarized glasses, anyway, in most circumstances.   But let’s get beyond the preaching.   In light of this story we all know what we need to do.   Yet, let’s assume we must deal with an eye injury…would you know specifically what to do?

Right now I’m going to reach back into the dark recesses of my mind and remember how I would have handled an eye injury back in my ambulance days a couple of years ago.   First off, whatever object is in contact with the eye needs to be secured.   If necessary, cut the unattached hooks off the lure and tape the lure to the victim’s head to secure it from any possible movement.   The number one thing is DO NOT allow any pressure be applied to the eye.   There are two basic types of fluid in the eye (one the body can replace—the other being an irreplaceable fluid), so the goal is not to lose any fluid from the eye or to do additional damage.   The next best thing to do is to put a loose fitting patch or towel over both eyes to reduce sunlight sensitivity and/or movement.

If you’re around someone with an eye injury the biggest thing you can do is reassure them and try your best to calm them down.   Yes, sometimes people freak and having a fishing hook in the eye would be enough reason to cause even a perfectly sane person to do so…but it is a bad thing to do.   Calm the victim down and explain to them everything you plan to do (this is especially important after covering their eyes).   Once the eyes are covered you don’t want to take the covering off until you arrive at the hospital.   The reason for doing so is a person’s eyes move in tandem with one another.   If you’re trying to stabilize an injured eye shouldn’t it also make sense you protect the uninjured eye, as well.   In fact, explain that to the person so they realize the reasoning why both eyes must be covered.

For more information on dealing with typical fish hook emergencies look here.   This summer when you’re out on the water…look around you and make sure everyone has their glasses on.   Now that your sport has attained #1 status for eye injuries common sense dictates that a person has even more incentive than ever to be protecting their precious eyes.

2007 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission