10/23/2026
IMPORTANT INFO! Please share with coaches, family, and friends who have young athletes.
Most people associate cataracts with aging, but children can develop them too, even after a single sports injury. A direct hit to the eye from a soccer ball, baseball, or elbow can cause a traumatic cataract, which may develop immediately or months, sometimes even years, after the injury.
What parents and coaches should know:
• Traumatic cataracts can happen at any age.
• Eye damage isn't always immediately noticeable.
• Early detection is especially important while children's vision is still developing.
If your child takes a hard hit to the eye, have it examined promptly, even if everything seems fine. Severe pain or sudden vision changes require emergency care.
Their vision has a lifetime ahead of it. Help protect it.