July is Eye Injury Prevention Month

Surely you’ve heard the adage, “it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.” Eye injury is far from a laughing matter; according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 2.5 million incidences of eye injuries occur every year. These include workplace injuries, but about half happen in or around the home. Since July is Eye Injury Prevention Month, it’s a good time to review some ways that you can prevent eye injuries in yourself and your children.

Use Protection

About 90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented, and using protective eyewear is one of the best ways to do so! If you’re drilling, sanding, mixing  up household cleansers or doing anything else that will kick up dust, splash any type of substances, or spread particles around, wear safety goggles. If you wear eyeglasses, wear the goggles over your prescription lenses. Make sure that your kids wear adequate face and eye protection if they play sports; baseball, in particular, is dangerous to eyes.

Take Common Sense Precautions

Be careful when going fishing, as fish hooks are a common culprit when it comes to eye injuries. Don’t allow children to run around holding sticks or play in areas where they’re likely to fall and injure their eyes (such as on top of a fence or on the edge of your garden if you have stakes sticking out of the ground). Don’t allow young kids to play with BB guns or to be in an area where teens or adults are shooting. Don’t allow them to play with sharp objects in the car, where a sudden stop could cause injury.

Wear Sunglasses

Eye injury is not only caused by projectiles or chemicals; ultraviolet rays from the sun can affect your vision, and these effects might not be reversible. Wear UV-blocking eyewear whenever you go outside, and be sure that your children do, too. This is just as important as wearing sunscreen. Lenses can be tinted or not, depending on how bright it is and your preferences. If you need to buy new sunglasses, consider making a purchase from TOMS. With their Give One Get One campaign, every time you buy a pair of sunglasses, the company will donate vision-saving services or glasses to an individual in need. Save money by using one of our TOMS coupons.

Know What To Do

If you accidentally splash a chemical or get some type of debris in your eye, flush the eye out with water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you’re wearing contact lenses, remove them if possible. Once you flush your eye out, seek medical assistance right away. If an object is embedded in your eye, cover the eye and get to the nearest emergency room or call 911; don’t try to remove it yourself. If you’ve spent a lot of time in the sun and you experience persistent blurriness in your vision, get yourself seen by a doctor.

Taking care of your eyes is important for excellent sight now and into the future. Be sure to pass these tips on to your kids to help them stay safe!