eye injury prevention month

You may be surprised to learn that more than 1 million people suffer an eye injury every year in the United States. You may be even more surprised to learn that most of these eye injuries could have been avoided.

Eye Injury Facts and Statistics

Each and every day, approximately 2,000 workers sustain job-related eye injuries requiring medical treatment.
Nearly half (44.7 percent) of all eye injuries occur in the home. 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.
40% of eye injures each year are sports related.
Men are more likely to sustain an eye injury than women.

For all of these reason, October has been named Eye Injury Prevention Month to help spread awareness.

Eye Injury Prevention Tips

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), 90% of eye injuries are completely preventable with the use of protective eyewear (with “ANSI Z87.1” marked on the lens or frame) when performing everyday activities, such as mowing the lawn, using household chemicals, working on your car, etc. Yet, according to AAO, only 35% of individuals wear protective eyewear on a regular basis.
When working with household cleaners and other chemicals, carefully read the instructions before use. Also, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.
Even if you take every precaution to ensure you remain safe, don’t forget the risk to bystanders, including children and pets.
If you experience an eye injury, even if it seems minor, call your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – immediately to schedule an eye exam. Or, if the injury is severe, visit the emergency room right away. Eye injuries are serious and require prompt medical attention.

If you have any questions about Eye Injury Prevention or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

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

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