Tag: Eye injuries

Prevent Toy Related Eye Injuries

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I borrowed the contents of this article from All About Vision.

Eye Safety during the Holidays

5 Toys to Avoid

  • “Fishing” Games. The end of a toy fishing pole or objects secured to the end of the fishing line can easily end up in a playmate’s eye.
  • Guns that shoot ANYTHING. You might think toy guns that shoot lightweight cushy foam balls or rubber bands pose little or no risk, but even these projectiles move at speeds fast enough to cause an eye abrasion.
  • Toy wand, swords or sabers of any kind. There’s really no need to explain why these are a bad idea, right?
  • Water balloon launchers and water guns. Water balloons can cause serious blunt trauma to the eye and permanent vision loss. Even toy guns that shoot a stream of water can cause serious eye damage.
  • Oversized foam hands and fists. Fashioned to simulate cartoon characters like the Incredible Hulk, these toys are an eye injury waiting to happen – for anyone nearby!

It’s usually best to shop for children’t toys in a store rather than online, so you can see the toy’s features up close to help you decide if it’s safe enough for a young child.

And don’t rely on age recommendations printed on the packaging. Manufacturers don’t always use common sense when they decide what’s suitable for young children.

Eye Safety Month

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October is eye safety month, what precautions are you taking to prevent eye injury and trauma?

Protective EyewearAt Westside Optometry we have a complete selection  of sports eyewear for the young and the experienced athlete. Protective eyewear is as important to your game as proper shoes and padding. Sports goggles can be made in all prescriptions, with or without a tint.

 

Protective eyewear isn’t just for the workplace or industrial setting, Most eye injuries happen at home. Non-prescription protective eyewear is available at hardware stores. If you safety framesusually wear glasses, prescription safety glasses are recommended. All our safety eyewear is available with side shields and meet the ANSI.

 

Click here to learn more about eye emergencies.

First Aid for Eye Emergencies

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Below I have included information from the National Society to Prevent Blindness for first aid treatment for eye emergencies. I have added some information to help you decide when to seek professional help. If in doubt, call Westside Optometry or go to the nearest emergency department.

Chemical Burns
Eye damage from chemical burns may be extremely serious, as from alkalis or caustic acids; or less severe, as from chemical “irritants.”
DO flush the eye with water immediately, continuously and gently, for at least 15 minutes. Hold head under faucet or pour water into the eye using any clean container. Keep eye open as widely as possible during flushing.
DO see a doctor or go to the emergency room.
DO NOT use an eye cup, the water must run off your eye and use lots of it.

If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. This may wash away the lens.
DO NOT bandage the eye.

Spray cans are a common source of chemical eye injury, compounded by the force of contact. Whether containing caustics or “irritants,” they must be carefully used and kept away from children.

Specks in the Eye
DO lift upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid.
DO let tears wash out speck or particle
If the speck doesn’t wash out – keep eye closed, bandage lightly and see a doctor.
DO NOT rub the eye.
DO NOT try to remove with a finger or any other object.

If you suspect the particle is metal, call the office immediately, do not wait until the next day.  Metallic foreign bodies can rust overnight creating a larger area of damage.

Blows to the Eye
DO apply cold compresses immediately without putting pressure on the eye for 15 minutes; again each hour as needed to reduce pain and swelling.
DO  see a doctor if there is discoloration or a “black eye”
DO  seek emergency care if there is pain, blurred or double vision

Cuts and Punctures of Eye or Eyelid
DO bandage lightly and see a doctor at once. The bottom half of a paper cup can be used.
DO NOT wash out the eye with water.
DO NOT try to remove an object stuck in the eye.

 Prevention

Of course, preventing eye injuries is the wisest action.

Wear eye protection for all hazardous activities and sports -at school, home and on the job.

Stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eyewash before an eye injury happens.

DO NOT assume that any eye injury is harmless. When in doubt, give us a call or go to the emergency department.

Firework Safety

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Fireworks

 

For most of us, celebrating the Fourth of July means barbeques and fireworks. Unfortunately, the fun can be cut short when fireworks are used inappropriately and cause serious injuries. One of the most common causes of firework injury is when a device explodes before expected. This often results in cuts, burns and bruises in and around the eye. Sparklers are not exempt, in fact they are responsible for a significant percentage of eye injury cases.

According to a study by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were the culprit for an estimated 8,800 injuries treated in US emergencies departments during 2009. Of these, 54 present were children and teens under the age of 20 years.

Below are tips to help protect and preserve eyesight during the Fourth of July holiday.

  • Discuss firework safety with children and teens prior to the Fourth of July holiday.
  • Do not allow kids to handle fireworks and never leave them unsupervised near fireworks.
  • Wear protective eyewear when lighting and handling fireworks of any kind.
  • Store fireworks, matches and lighters in a secure place where children won’t find them.
  • Refrain from purchasing sparklers. Heating up to 1,800 degrees, sparklers are the number one cause of fireworks injuries requiring trips to the emergency room.
  • Be aware of your surroundings and only light fireworks when family, friends and children are at a safe distance.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Don’t Become a Statistic

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I saw a few statistics about protective eyewear and sports this week. The most important fact about wearing safety eyewear for sports is that it prevents you and your children from becoming one of the following statistics. This information is from the US Department of Health and Human Services:

 Nearly 2.5 million eye injuries occur each year.
 More than a quarter of these injuries occur during sporting and recreational activities.
 Children under 15 years of age account for nearly one-third of all eye trauma hospital admissions and 43 % of sports and recreational eye injuries overall

It is important to remember that even if an eye injury seems to be minor it may be serious. Loss of vision, severe pain or tenderness and cuts around the eye require immediate medical attention. Secondly, if you do go to the emergency room, are discharged, but your vision and/or eye still do not seem right, give me a call. I have seen patients after ER visits with foreign bodies still in the eye and undiagnosed broken orbit bones (the bones around the eye).

More than 90 % of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear. Sports participants using corrective eyewear or sunglasses that do not conform to safety standards are at greater risk of eye injury than participants using no eye protection at all. Safety frames must pass two rigorous impact tests, which dress frames do not undergo. Basically, a steel ball and a pointed projectile are dropped on the lenses of the glasses. No parts or fragments of the frame or goggle can fly off which might contact the eye.

The lenses in regular eyeglasses could easily pop out and puncture or cut the eye. A frame mangled from impact could also injure the eye and face.Slam safety glasses