Protecting your eyes from injury is one of the most basic things you can do to keep your vision healthy throughout your life. Many household work activities from gardening, cleaning projects, working on cars, sports or small construction projects can cause eye injuries. You may be aware of the possible risks of eye injuries, but are you taking the necessary safety precautions to prevent eye injuries? It’s a fact, 90 percent of eye injuries reported could have been prevent if they were wearing the proper protective eyewear.
If you have suffered an eye injury, review these care and treatment recommendations. But most importantly, have an ophthalmologist or other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor.
More than 40 percent of eye injuries reported in the Eye Injury Snapshot were caused by projects and activities such as home repairs, yard work, cleaning and cooking. More than a third (34.2 percent) of injuries in the home occurred in living areas such as the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room. Eyes can be damaged by sun exposure, chemicals, dust or objects.
July is National Eye Injury prevention Month. Let’s keep an eye on safety and start wearing protective eyewear when necessary!
Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
