_For Parents Protecting Kids’ Eyes (NAPSA)—It’s almost second nature for parents to maketheir child wear a helmet whenriding a bicycle. Unfortunately, many do not insist upon the same protection for their kid’s most important asset: their eyes. y a a ie Se} A ) Zap UC aii ‘I ~~ offs ee CH CHD te ry sage WA i | She ate + @ Baseball/softball eye-related injuries resulted in 4,700 trips to the emergency room in 2000. According to a recent study by the Vision Council of America, parents know the importance of protective sports eyewear, but kids are nearly twice as likely to wear a bike helmet than protective eyewear. Chicago ophthalmologist Susan Taub, MD says, “You can injure every structure in the eye with an external blow. Protective eyewear can transfer the force of the blow away from the eyeitself, to the surrounding area.” Baseball/softball is the leading cause of sports-related eye injuries among young children in the U.S. More than 4,700 baseball/softball- related eye injuries resulted in trips to the emergency room in 2000. As this season begins, visit your eye doctor today for an exam and to learn how to protect yourlittle slug- ger’s eyes from injury. For more information, visit www.checkyearly.com or call (800) 424-8422 ext. 45, and ask for item CYA.
