The American Academy of Ophthalmology has reported that more than 1 million eye injuries occur on an annual basis. There is an important detail about these injuries that we need to pay close attention to 90% of these injuries are preventable. All that is needed is a little safeguarding.
What You Can Do to Avoid Eye Injury
If you know you can avoid any injury, of course, you want to! Here’s how:
Start by . . .
- Evaluating your work environment, specifically looking for hazards.
- Prepare for your task by gathering the right tools. If you’re gardening, have protective glasses ready. If you’re working around chemicals, have a first aid kit, and eye washes accessible.
- Educate yourself on appropriate safety practices and hazards you may not immediately consider.
Then . . .
- Get fitted safety gear if necessary. An eye care professional can provide this.
- Schedule a full eye exam. The risk of injury is compounded if vision problems go undetected.
Sports Safety
Sports injuries often occur to the eye. The leading type of eye injury for athletes (even Sunday morning hoops counts) is the corneal abrasion. This injury hurts a lot more than it should for being so minor! Corneal abrasion usually heals over several days and leaves behind no lasting damage. If an opponent’s finger or another instrument cannot reach the eye, the cornea is not likely to get scratched. Bottom line: wear sports goggles whenever you play, whatever you play.
Considering the potential for avoidance, one might say that far too many eye injuries occur each year. What can you do to decrease your risk? If you need help, call (806) 351-1177