Eye Injury Prevention
Eye injuries are surprisingly common. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, roughly 2.5 million people suffer these injuries each year. Many of them occur at home, as well as while playing sports. And the scariest part is that an eye injury can lead to vision impairment or blindness.
How can you reduce the odds of harming your eyes? Below is a list of tips that you can implement into your daily life when performing a variety of tasks that may put you at risk of hurting yourself.
Wearing Protective Eyewear Is Simple Yet Effective
One of the easiest things that you can do to avoid eye injuries is wear gear that will provide protection on all sides of your peepers. Yes, it’s that simple!
There are so many scenarios in which wearing protective eyewear can be super helpful. Here are some examples: when you’re working on your car in the garage, when you’re gardening, and when you’re doing anything that might cause dust or objects to get into your eyes.
Safety goggles can come in really handy when you’re using cleaning products around the house, or when you’re using any chemicals, detergents, or other substances that might splash into your eyes by accident, causing harm.
When you’re playing sports, it’s a great idea to use protective eyewear that boasts the ASTM F803 designation. This indicates that the product is designed to help protect the eyes during various activities, such as basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis.
But, wait, won’t regular prescription eyeglasses, or maybe even sunglasses, protect you?
Put simply, no, they aren’t designed to give you the level of protection that you need to keep your eyes as safe as possible. Plus, if you’re ever hit in the eyes with a large object, your glasses might even cause a more serious injury. Ouch!
Pro tip: If you need to wear prescription eyeglasses, and you don’t wear contact lenses, you can simply purchase protective eyewear that’s designed to fit over your glasses. Or, with the right vision insurance, you might be able to get your hands on high-quality, affordable prescription safety glasses!
Protect Your Eyes in Your Home and in Your Own Backyard
Here are some of the activities during which protective eyewear is recommended when working around the house or in your yard:
- When you’re cleaning and disinfecting with harsh products, such as bleach and chemical-based supplies (when using a spray bottle, be sure you spray away from your face).
- When you’re mowing the lawn, removing leaves, and pruning plants.
- When you’re using pesticides or fertilizers in your garden, even if they are natural.
- When you’re cooking and there’s a risk of hot oil splattering and getting into your eyes.
- When you’re using household items, like rubber bands and wire hangers, that can accidentally hit you in the eye and cause harm.
Protect Your Eyes While You’re Working
Let’s not forget that eye injuries can also occur in the workplace, and these can result in serious damage, such as permanent loss of vision.
If you work in an environment that exposes you to chemicals, if you use tools, or if there’s the risk of being hit in the eye with objects like glass, dust, or metal, always wear the appropriate protective gear to help reduce the risk of harm. Examples include face shields, goggles, welding helmets, and full-face respirators.
Take Action Right Away If You Injure Your Eyes!
You can’t always prevent accidents, even when you do your best to protect yourself. If you end up hurting an eye, see a doctor or ophthalmologist right away, as this isn’t something that you should try treating on your own at home.
Even if the injury appears to be minor or you don’t have symptoms, see a medical professional ASAP because some problems, such as increased pressure or retinal tears, might not be obvious at first.
After calling your doctor to let them know about your injury, you may be told to avoid touching your eye. And if there’s an object in the eye, you might be told to leave it alone until you get to the doctor. Also, wait until you’re given instructions before using any medications. And, when appropriate, flush your eye with water if a substance, such as a cleaner, got into it (read product labels carefully to be sure this is what you should do).
Your eyes are delicate, so take care of them, not only by seeing your eye doctor for checkups, but also by protecting your peepers during everyday activities that might lead to injuries.
Sources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/preventing-eye-injuries
https://www.theeyeclinic.net/2018/10/03/eye-injury-prevention/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/eye-injury/art-20047121
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/preventing-injuries
https://preventblindness.org/eye-safety-at-home/
https://preventblindness.org/preventing-eye-injuries/#1585701895414-4712076d-209f
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries