You may not give your eyes a second thought most days. But your eyes are your windows to the world. You should do everything you can to protect them from an eye injury.
Approximately 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the U.S. each year. They happen at work, at home and on the playing field. In fact, 90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear.
Protect Your Vision
Don’t wait until you suffer a devastating eye injury before you do something to protect them. Start by keeping these five safety strategies in mind when you engage in activities that can damage your eyes:
- Use sport-specific eyewear. One of the most common sources of eye injuries in children and young adults is sports. People of all ages should wear sport-specific eyewear, such as safety glasses, goggles and eye guards made with polycarbonate lenses. Sports that result in the most eye injuries include baseball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer and racquet sports.
- Protect your eyes at work. Wear protective eyewear when operating machinery, working with tools and chemicals or in specific workplace conditions. The most common sources of eye injury at work include flying objects, air-blown particles, tools, chemicals and radiation.
- Keep eyes safe at home. Don’t forget to wear protective eyewear when doing yardwork, making household repairs, painting or using cleaners and chemicals. Don’t forget to be cautious when using cosmetic applicators near your eyes.
- Select toys carefully. Buy age-appropriate toys and avoid toys with hard or sharp edges. Don’t allow kids to play with items that can be used as a projectile, such as darts. Keep kids away from pellet and BB guns, as well as fireworks. Even sparklers can cause eye injury.
- Wear sunglasses. The sun can damage your eyes. Choose glasses that block both UVA and UVB rays to better protect eyes from radiation. Never look directly at the sun.
Cut, Scratch, or Blow to the Eye?
An eye injury can be painful, so it’s best to see a provider right away before symptoms get worse. Schedule an appointment for your eye care exam.
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