Eye Injury Prevention Month

OCTOBER IS EYE INJURY PREVENTION MONTH, and it is our job as Eye M.D.’s  to promote good eye health and also increase awareness of accidental eye injury.  Accidental eye injury is the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States.  About one million people suffer from eye injuries and ninety percent of these accidents can be prevented.  Eye injuries can occur whether you are in the house, workshop, garden, workplace, around the car, and even at play or in a sport.

Everyone should take simple safety measures to prevent serious injuries to the eye.  For example, if you are in the house working with cleaning products or using chemicals you should always read the instructions carefully and WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES.  Many products you use to clean with are very dangerous and can cause blindness or permanent damage to your eyes.  You should have a bottle of eye irrigating solution available at all times.

In the workshop you should always protect your eyes with protective eyewear to prevent flying objects from injuring your eyes.  Since objects can fly into your eyes unexpectedly you should always use precaution, especially when working on automobiles.

In the garden you should  use protective eyewear when using harsh chemicals, when operating lawn equipment, or when planting or removing plants.  It is also a good idea to inspect  for rocks and stones before operating lawn equipment.  You should always protect yourself and others from flying objects.

If it is needed in the workplace, protective eyewear should be worn.  Many eye injuries can happen at the workplace and employees are injured every day.

When you are around the car you should use caution when around battery acid, since  sparks from damaged auto batteries can injure your eyes.  You should keep protective eyewear available for when those unexpected auto emergencies arise.

When at play always be cautious.  Protective eyewear should be worn when playing sports or doing other activities that can cause harm to your eyes.  Fireworks are commonly used in the summer and too often someone suffers a serious eye injury as a result.  Fireworks should only be used by professionals.  Many eye injuries result from incidents that occur around excessive drinking, moderation should be observed.  Be careful when fishing and casting your hook, look to see if anyone is behind you.

If an eye injury does occur medical help should be sought immediately.  Chemical burns, cuts on the eye, and foreign bodies stuck in the eye are all considered emergencies and should be treated by an ophthalmologist. Even light blows to the eye can be serious.  If a black eye, pain or visual problem occurs after the blow, medical help should be sought immediately.

Eye injuries are preventable, by protecting your eyes at home, work, or play and knowing what to do in an emergency, someone’s sight can be saved.

This message was brought to you by Friedberg Eye Associates and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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