A quick-thinking tournament doctor put in a call to an ophthalmologist following the gruesome collision between Villanova’s Allan Ray and a Pittsburgh player, and that call may have saved Ray’s sight. The collision occurred during the March 10 Big East tournament game.
“This young man is very fortunate, as he could have suffered a permanent, basketball-career-ending injury,” said John Stechschulte, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Ohio State University and American Academy of Ophthalmology member.
Ophthalmologists agree that many sports eye injuries could be avoided simply by wearing protective eyewear. Athletes can now choose from various types of sturdy, lightweight and effective eyewear. With polycarbonate lenses and a proper fitting by an eye care professional, eyewear does not hinder performance and can prevent 90 percent of sports eye injuries. However, various sports require different types of protective eyewear, and members of the eye health care team can help athletes choose the eyewear appropriate for their sport.
“Fortunately, our nation’s ophthalmologists, as demonstrated by the Eye M.D. who saved the...