Tag: eye safety

Swimming with Contact Lenses

Karen Griffith

Contact Lens Safety in water

What is a contact lens wearer to do when playing in the pool, river or ocean? Water activities are more fun without worrying about losing glasses or not being able to see. Two of the many advantages to wearing contacts instead of glasses is the freedom to use non-prescription sunglasses, and to see without glasses.
Unfortunately, there are all kinds of nasty bugs living in swimming pools, oceans, lakes, hot tubs and even tap water that can attach to your contact lens and cause serious damage to your eyes. That’s why you should avoid swimming with contact lenses whenever possible. If you do decide to wear contacts while swimming, remove, clean and disinfect your lenses immediately to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection. Better yet, wear swim goggles; when it comes to the health of your eyes it’s always best to be safe than sorry!
I do fit individuals with contacts specifically for water activities such as surfing and water-skiing. In these cases, I prescribe daily use contact lenses to prevent reintroducing any contamination into the eyes. And overnight wear is absolutely forbidden as sleeping in the contacts increases the risk of corneal edema and abrasion, leaving the eye vulnerable to infection.

If you are missing the fun of water activities, consider daily use contact lenses that you can throw away after a day of fun.

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.

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!