The majority of the parents favored the use of face guards and the number of coaches saying they thought the use of face guards should be mandatory increased significantly by the end of the season. In 1995, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 162,100 hospital emergency room visits for baseball- related injuries to children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. This is a public health issue that needs to be taken seriously. The study was supported by a grant from the Midwest Eye Foundation, Inc., Prevent Blindness Indiana, Inc., both of Indianapolis, and Research to Prevent Blindness, New York. The most common cause of sports-related eye injuries is baseball related.
Batters are the single player position most at risk.
5 million youths play baseball each year in organized leagues. In 1995, there were 162,100 hospital emergency room visits for baseball-related injuries to children ages 5 to 14 years, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Thirty-seven percent of these ER visits were due to facial injuries. The face guard may prevent between 25 percent and 47 percent of facial impacts from a bat or ball.