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Prevent Eye Injuries at Home, at Work and at Play! |
| Eye injuries of
all types occur at a rate of more than 2,000 per day. In particular, an
estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces alone. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that almost 70% of the eye
injuries studied occur from falling or flying objects, or sparks
striking the eye.
The best ways to prevent injury to the eye is to always wear the appropriate eye protection. Surprisingly, the BLS reports that approximately three out of every five workers injured were either not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident or wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job. To be effective, eyewear must fit properly and be designed to effectively protect workers while they work. It is estimated that over 90% of eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. The Occupational Safety Health Administration, OSHA, has standards that require employers to provide their workers with the appropriate eye protection. In addition to the proper safety eyewear, early detection and treatment of eye conditions and diseases are essential to maintaining good vision at every stage of life. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, AAO, children with a family history of childhood vision problems should be screened for common childhood eye problems before the age of 5. Although most young adults have healthy vision, if eye problems such as visual changes, pain, flashes of light, seeing spots, excessive tearing, and excessive dryness occur, they should see an eye doctor. Adults between the ages of 40 to 65 should have an eye exam every two to four years. Adults over the age of 65 should have an eye exam at least every one to two years. Ultimately, the key to preventing eye injuries is to take a more proactive approach to sustaining healthy vision. |
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A Few eye Safety Tips! |
| - Keep all household chemicals, paints,
pesticides, fertilizers tools, etc. locked up away from children. - Almost anything that can splash into the eye can damage it. Wear protective eyewear when working with: detergents, cleaning solvents, etc. Never mix cleaning agents. - Car batteries contain sulfuric acid and produce hydrogen gas while being charged. This is one of the gasses used to send rockets into space. Always wear protective eyewear when working with batteries. Know the proper procedures for handling batteries and jump-starting cars. - Never remove Safety guards from power equipment. Wear protective eyewear to protect against flying particles. Pick up all yard debris before using lawn equipment and wear protective eyewear while operating it. Children should not play in areas where lawn equipment is being used. - Children and adults should use sports-specific eyewear to avoid sports related accidents. - Consumer fireworks cause 2,000 eye injuries per year. The best protection is to leave fireworks to professionals. - Ultraviolet and infrared light from the sun, welding arcs and tanning beds can damage your eyes; it may also contribute to age-related macular degeneration. Use proper eye protection and never look directly at a solar eclipse Never allow children to play with Laser pointers they are not toys. The light from a laser pointer aimed into the eye can be more damaging than staring directly into the sun. - In the car, use infant and child safety seats, safety belts and shoulder harnesses. Keep children in the back seat away from air bags. - Keep older children's toys away from younger children. Do not let children of any age use flying toys and projectile-firing toys with out adult supervision. Three out of four of children's eye injuries happen when no adult is present. - To avoid eye infection do not share eye makeup or eye drops with anyone. Many bacteria, including the cold sore viruse (Herpes), can spread to your eyes and damage your vision. - Do not let children play in areas where cats and dogs go to the bathroom. Roundworm (Toxocara) larvae in cat and dog droppings can cause blindness and other health problems. Wash your hands good after working in the yard, cleaning litter boxes, or handling animals. Have your pets dewormed. |