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Are squash players protecting their eyes?

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
² School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

Correspondence to:
Associate Professor Caroline Finch, Sports Injury Prevention Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia 3181;
caroline.finch{at}med.monash.edu.au

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine factors associated with adult squash players’ protective eyewear behaviours.

Methods: A survey of 303 players (aged 18 years) was conducted at three squash venues in Melbourne, Australia over a three week period in June 2000 to obtain information about protective eyewear use.

Results: Of 303 participants the response rate was 98.1%; 66.1% were males, with a mean age of 40.5 years. The majority (68.4%) had played squash for 10 years or more. Although 18.8% of players reported using protective eyewear, only 8.9% reported wearing approved eyewear. Both age group (p<0.05) and years of squash experience (p<0.01) were significantly associated with any eyewear use. The two main influences were personal experience of eye injuries (50.0%) and knowledge of eye injury risk (33.9%). A commonly reported barrier was restriction of vision (34.2%).

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a low prevalence of voluntary use of appropriate protective eyewear. Future prevention strategies incorporating education campaigns should focus on increasing players’ knowledge of risks. The barriers to use and misconceptions about which types of eyewear is most protective need to be addressed as a priority.

Keywords: squash; protective eyewear; eye injuries; behavoiurs

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; VSF, Victorian Squash Federation

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