As new types of sports become popular, the injuries associated with them also increase. A study from Portugal of sports related ocular injuries found 8.3% due to “modern sports”, primarily squash, paintball, motocross, and new types of soccer. None of the participants were wearing proper eye protection; most injuries occurred due to impact by the ball or projectile. Three quarters of all the “modern” eye injuries were classified as severe, and the paintball players in the study suffered permanent vision loss. The authors note that two thirds of the injuries occurred to the left eye. Unlike other studies, almost all players were adults, rather than adolescents, and 41% of the injuries occurred in controlled environments, that is, health clubs. The authors call for mandatory eye protection and prompt evaluation following any ocular trauma. (

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Tae kwon do is another growing sport, particularly since it has been added to the Olympic Games. This study examined rates of tae kwon do tournament injuries, and found that after implementation of safety measures in competition, the injury rate was lower than has been previously reported. Indeed, at 0.4/1000 athlete exposures, the rate of injury was …