Visor (ice hockey)

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A visor or shield in ice hockey is a device attached to the front of a hockey helmet to reduce potential of injury to the face. They may cover the upper half of the face or the full face. There is currently a great debate about whether NHL players should be forced to wear visors. A series of eye injuries, most notably that to Bryan Berard, have lead to a call from many to enforce their wearing. Currently a minority of players wear visors, and they are mandated in many other leagues around the world.

Visors Visors, made of a high impact-resistant plastic, offer better overall vision than the wire cages available, which can obscure vision in certain areas. The face shield provides excellent straight ahead and peripheral vision, but does not provide as good of air flow as the cage. This causes the shield to fog up during play.

The Wire Cage The wire cage consists of a metal or composite mesh that covers the face. These are available for half or full facial protection. The bars, or cage, are spaced far enough apart to allow you to see through to the action but are close enough to stop pucks and sticks from getting through to injure the face.

Combination Masks Some manufacturers now offer the best of both designs - a plastic face shield to protect the eyes and upper part of the face, and a wire mesh to cover the lower jaw and to add ventilation.

In 2002, the British Journal of Sports medicine published a study identifying the protection offered against concussions between the half face shield and the full face shield.The use of a full face shield compared with half face shield significantly reduced the playing time lost because of concussion, suggesting that concussion severity may be reduced by the use of a full face shield.

[edit] References

BeerLeagueHockey.com Choosing A Face Mask To Fit Your Needs Reviewed September 24, 2004