Vision and even an eye can be lost to infections caused by this type of debris. Infants should wear hats in the sun, to protect both their eyes and their skin from overexposure to UV rays, according to Dr. West. If they don't, avoid making a federal case out of it. See if they will wear a hat instead. Young athletes who protest that sunglasses impair their play may be persuaded to try a hat to shield UV rays.
Parents can point to popular professional athletes who pull ball caps low over their eyes.
Vision risks from sunlight are more prevalent in people with blue or light-colored eyes, Dr. West notes. It's often caused by baseball injuries, because the baseball is small enough to hit the eye, even if it strikes the side of the eye socket. Children might use mouth guards to protect their teeth, but often don't think of goggles to protect their eyes. I find that most do it for comfort and to see better underwater. Like sports goggles, clear swim goggles can be made to a child's prescription, too.