As we wrap up July and head into August, we would like to put a spotlight on eye injury prevention. We would like to provide some helpful tips in protecting your peepers, as July is Eye Injury Prevention Month, We often meet with several hard working people who have fallen victim to an eye injury in the workplace.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, an estimated 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. Even a seemingly minor injury can become a lifelong issue, so it is important to seek emergency medical help immediately.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology website has informative information on several eye injury facts and myths:

• Men are more likely to sustain an eye injury than women.
• Most people believe that eye injuries are most common on the job — especially in the course of work at factories and construction sites. But, in fact, nearly half (44.7 percent) of all eye injuries occurred in the home, as reported during the fifth-annual Eye Injury Snapshot (conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma).
• 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.
• More than 40 percent of eye injuries every year are related to sports or recreational activities.
• Eyes can be damaged by sun exposure, not just chemicals, dust or objects.
• Among all eye injuries reported in the Eye Injury Snapshot, more than 78 percent of people were not wearing eyewear at the time of injury. Of those reported to be wearing eyewear of some sort at the time of injury (including glasses or contact lenses), only 5.3 percent were wearing safety or sports glasses.

A vast majority of workers depend on their eyes in the course of their employment, and the least bit of damage could affect their potential income. However, we hope that everyone shares this information with their loved ones, because eye injury prevention should begin within the home.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lists when to wear protective eyewear.

You, or anyone who is watching you work, should always wear properly fitted eye protective gear, such as safety glasses with side protection/shields, when:

• Doing work that may produce particles, slivers, or dust from materials like wood, metal, plastic, cement, and drywall
• Hammering, sanding, grinding, or doing masonry work
• Working with power tools
• Working with chemicals, including common household chemicals like ammonia, oven cleaners, and bleach
• Using a lawnmower, riding mower, or other motorized gardening devices like string trimmers (also called “weed wacker” or “weed whip”)
• Working with wet or powdered cement
• Welding (which requires extra protection like a welding mask or helmet from sparks and UV radiation)
• “Jumping” the battery of a motor vehicle
• Being a bystander to any of the above

Many of the above steps seem like common sense, but for that same reason they are often times disregarded or forgotten. Please visit the following websites for additional information and safety tips on eye injury prevention:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/eye-injury/art-20047121

http://www.foh.hhs.gov/NYCU/eyeinjury.asp

http://www.aao.org/