Data Shows Number Of Eye Injuries

To Children On The Rise

CHICAGO — There’s no place like home...especially for eye injuries. According to the American Society of Ocular Trauma, more than 2.5 million eye injuries happen at home annually.

Performing household chores and maintenance without the proper eye protection can be dangerous. In fact, one in five at-home eye injuries were due to home repair or power tools, according to results from the “Sixth Annual Eye Injury Snapshot” by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT).

Their findings showed that the most common place of injury was the yard or garden. Lawn maintenance can be hazardous to eyes as clippings from trimmers or rocks and debris thrown by lawnmowers become airborne.

Bystanders must also be vigilant as they may be accidentally struck by flying debris.

Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has declared September as Home Eye Safety Awareness Month in an effort to urge the public to take extra care in protecting their eyes today in order to avoid painful and potentially blinding eye accidents.

It is especially frustrating for those who treat eye injuries to know that more than 90 percent of these sight-robbing injuries could have been prevented by using protective eyewear. When starting any project, whether it be cleaning surfaces with chemicals, working on the car, or doing yard work, Prevent Blindness America asks everyone to wear eyewear approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The eyewear should have the “Z-87” logo stamped on the frames and can be purchased at hardware stores and home building centers.

“Serious eye injuries can be avoided by simply using the proper eye protection,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “Adults must make their eye health a priority by consistently practicing good eye protection habits not only for their own sake, but as an example to children.”

Another alarming statistic from the 2009 AAO and ASOT’s findings was the increase in the number of eye injuries suffered by children. According to the new data, children 12 years of age or younger represented one in five injuries, a significant increase over the previous five-year survey average of 15.5 percent.

Prevent Blindness America offers these tips on how to protect children’s eyes at home:

*Teach children not to run around with forks, knives, combs, or toothbrushes.

*Keep detergents, cleaning supplies, nail polish remover, mouthwash, and makeup in locked cabinets or out of reach.

*Set a good example by wearing eye protection when using ammonia-based cleaning supplies or while working on projects.

*Do not allow young children to use combs, brushes, or hairspray unless you watch or help them.

*Prompt others who enter the work area to wear eye protection.

*If you wear prescription glasses, many safety glasses or goggles will fit over your regular glasses. Ask your doctor what he or she recommends.

For more information on how to protect your eyes at home and eye protection recommendations, call Prevent Blindness America at 800-331-2020 or visit preventblindness.org.