eye injury facts

Last week, in honor of Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month, we discussed vision problems in children. This week, we are going to address the other aspect of this month: safety and eye protection.

“One pair, no spare,” says pediatric ophthalmologist John Avallone, MD.

You only have one set of eyes. It is important to take care of them starting at a young age. So make sure your kids use great care, practice prevention, and wear activity-appropriate eyewear – such as goggles, facemasks, glasses, sunglasses, etc. – in all sporting activities.

Pediatric Eye Injury Facts and Statistics

Approximately 33% of the estimated 2.4 million eye injuries that occur annually in the United States are in people age 17 and younger.
Eyes can be damaged by sun exposure, not just chemicals, dust or objects.
44.7% of all eye injuries occur in the home.
13% of all eye injuries are sports related.
Between the ages of five and 14, most sports-related injuries in the U.S. occur while playing baseball.
Every year, around 11,000 eye injuries sustained by children are caused by toys or home playground equipment
More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with protective eyewear.

In the Event of a Pediatric Eye Injury you should…

If your child sustains an eye injury, you should contact your ophthalmologist as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor. Serious injuries are not always immediately obvious and delaying medical attention could result in permanent vision loss or even blindness. So it is better to be safe than sorry.

Administering First Aid while waiting for Medical Help

Gently cover a cut or puncture wound.
DO NOT apply pressure, touch, or rub the eye.
DO NOT apply any sort of medication.
If an object is stuck in the eye, DO NOT attempts to remove it.
Flush the eye with water ONLY in the event of chemical exposure.

To learn more about Children’s Eye Protection and Eye Injuries, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrist Dr. Nathan Frank, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.
Vision problems may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:
Children’s Eye Injuries: Prevention and Care

More than 1 million people suffer from eye injuries every year in the United States, most of which could have been avoided. For this reason, October was named Eye Injury Prevention Month. The hope is that organizations will help spread awareness and individuals will begin to take the necessary precautions – wearing protective eyewear – when performing tasks that have any likelihood of eye-related injury, injuries that could lead to more serious medical conditions like red eye, traumatic cataract or traumatic glaucoma. Such everyday activities include: mowing the lawn, using household chemicals, working on your car, etc.

Prevention is the most important step in protecting your eyes from injury. Upwards of 90% of all reported eye injuries could have been avoided if proper eyewear was utilized. Yet, according to a national survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 35 percent of respondents said they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance; even fewer do so while playing sports.

So take the necessary precautions and wear protective eyewear when performing a task that has any likelihood of eye-related injury. However, if you still do experience an eye injury, even if it seems minor, call your eye doctor immediately to schedule an eye exam or visit the emergency room. Eye injuries are serious and require prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Eye Injury Facts:

Men are more likely to sustain an eye injury than women.
Each day, about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment, yet nearly half (44.7 percent) of all eye injuries occur in the home.
More than 40 percent of eye injuries reported 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.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Preventing Eye Injuries GetEyeSmart.org

Eye Safety Fact Sheet ModernEye.com

October is Eye Injury Prevention Month EyeBoston.com