SEDL / STP / STP1022-EB / STP19462S

Eyewear-Related Eye Injuries in Snow Skiing

Piziali, RL
Managing engineer, Biomechanics, Failure Analysis Associates, Palo Alto, CA

Pages: 6    Published: Jan 1989

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Abstract

Eye injuries have historically represented a small percentage of skiing injuries. With the passage of ASTM Specification for Eye Protective Devices (F 659) in 1980 it was anticipated that broken glass-related injuries would decrease. This paper examines the history of eyewear-related eye injuries in skiing by pursuing several approaches: (1) a review of the literature, (2) a review of the injuries reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, (3) a review of the National Ski Areas Association/ASTM 3-year study, (4) a review of the 11-year Sugarbush North study, and (5) a telephone survey of 29 ski area medical facilities and nearby hospitals.

The following observations are made: (1) eye injuries in skiing where eyewear is mentioned are generally minor and infrequent, approximately 18 per year in the United States and (2) injuries as a result of broken lens glass are extremely rare and appear to be almost nonexistent since the passage of the eyewear standards.