Before I go into a discussion about what I learned, though, let me say my friend is doing fine. During a phone conversation with Jim yesterday, I learned he has some not-so-pretty bruising to his hand but no swelling or pain. And although he has to wait awhile, he's already talking about that next trip to the water.
That being said, let me assure you that I take all fish-hook injuries seriously. However, there is one category of these injuries that, in my opinion, are in a league of their own. I'm talking about those incidents that involve a person's eyes, which was the topic I researched online.
My research revealed that, as you might expect, eye injuries from fishing are lumped into the broader category of sports and recreational activities. Records show these injuries collectively result in more than 100,000 physician's office and ER visits each year. More sobering is the fact these injuries often lead to visual impairment and account for more than 40,000 new cases of blindness annually.
The United States Eye Injury Registry (USEIR) is a federation of individual state eye-injury registries that collect and share injury data via a common database. This federation documents serious eye injuries, which are those judged by the reporting physician to have a likelihood in permanent structural or functional damage to the eye and/or its orbit.
According to a report they published, citing USEIR data, recreational fishing accounts for nearly 20 percent of all sports-related eye injuries in the United States. Only baseball produces a greater number of eye injuries.
Penetrating injuries are a more serious complication of fishing-related trauma. Blunt force of sufficient magnitude can lead to global rupture, but open-globe injuries usually result from a fish hook penetrating the cornea or sclera. Penetrating injuries are a true emergency, and care must be taken to maintain the integrity of the eye while expediting surgical treatment to close the wound.
In fish-hook injuries, it's important NOT to attempt to remove the hook outside the setting of an operating room. Most commercial fish hooks have barbs, intended to keep a fish on the line. Unfortunately, that feature will cause substantially greater damage if you try to pull the hook back through the wound. Instead, experts advise immobilization of the hook or lure by taping it in place, followed quickly by transportation of the patient to the ER.
The vast potential for eye injuries is why anglers always should wear some kind of protection from not only the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays but from the possible impact of lures, sinkers and such. As we all know, polarized lenses are a great option for fishing, cutting the glare and helping you see beyond the water's surface. Polycarbonate and Trivex lenses, meanwhile, provide the best protection from objects that may come hurtling through the air at you.
Don't rely on regular spectacles for impact protection. They, in fact, can be extra hazardous to your eyes if they shatter. Instead, consider thermoplastic frame materials, which mold to your face, enhancing comfort, or rubber frame components, which can help your frame stay firmly in place. Floating frames are a safeguard for your valuable investment.
The bottom line is that, with the right kind of protective eyewear, you reduce the risk of serious eye injury up to 90 percent. Remember, too, that it's not always the fisherman who suffers an eye injury. One fishing study, for example, showed that nearly 25 percent of those injured simply were innocent bystanders. Pay particular attention when children are around because they may not understand the inherent dangers involved.
In short, let's all be safe out there.
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