It's the Law
The state of New Jersey instituted a law that requires participants in youth sports to wear sports glasses. The new requirement targets only children who already wear corrective glasses. Your player(s) can employ contacts or you can work with your optomitrist to purchase prescription "rec-specs" glasses that are designed for sports or obtain contact lenses. Players who do not have the appropriate 'sports glasses' will not be able to participate while wearing them.
This eyewear has to meet the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials F803 and the American National Standards Institute Z87.1. The sports that now require this protective eyewear are racquetball, squash, tennis, lacrosse, basketball, field hockey, badminton, paddleball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, and softball.
Sports protective eyewear can look similar to goggles and comes equipped with an elastic band
that wraps around the back of the head for a secure fit. The eyewear can be
highly effective in protecting the eye, in part, because the lenses are made of polycarbonate, a
virtually shatter-proof material that can sustain the impact of a ball or a finger.
Here are some tips on what to look for when searching for sports protective eyewear for your
child. You can find this type of eyewear at most establishments that sell corrective glasses.
- Make sure you buy eyewear with polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate is very resistant to
impact and is virtually shatter-proof. This material is thinner and lighter than traditional plastic
lenses, offers ultraviolet protection and is scratch-resistant.
- Make sure the eyewear is a good fit for your child and avoid the temptation to buy oversized
eyewear that appears to be loose. It has to fit well to perform well.
- The new law stipulates the sports protective eyewear must conform to the requirements of the
American Society for Testing and Materials Standard F803. You'll know the eyewear you're
considering meets this standard because "F803" will be stamped on it.
- Be aware that the new law also requires that eyewear meet American National Standards
Institute lens standard Z87.1. Z87.1
- Different types of protective eyewear are appropriate for different sports. The packaging of the
eyewear you're interested in should list the sports for which it's designed.
- Make sure your protective eyewear has received the certification seal of the Protective
Eyewear Certification Council. PECC provides a third-party certification service in which an
independent, authorized laboratory tests the eyewear to verify meets the required standards.
The PECC certification seal isn't required on the product packaging.
The 2 types of eyewear that are not satisfactory for eye injury risk sports include:
- Streetwear (fashion) spectacles that conform to the requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z80.3.
- Safety eyewear that conforms to the requirements of ANSI Z87.1 that is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for industrial and educational safety eyewear.