protective eyewear

The Importance of Protective Eyewear

October 17, 2013 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

As we explained last week, October is Eye Injury Prevention Month. The goal of this month is to spread awareness of the very real threat of eye injuries and the proper methods to prevent those injuries. In fact, of the 1 million people who suffer an eye injury every year in the United States, most could have been avoided with the use of Protective Eyewear.

The Importance of Protective Eyewear

Eye injuries can happen anytime and anywhere. And you may be surprised to learn that nearly half (44.7 percent) of all eye injuries occur in the home. So it’s important to invest in and regularly use protective eyewear.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT) recommend having AT LEAST one pair of protective eyewear in the home and to use the eyewear often.

According to The Vision Council, a remarkable 90% of Eye Injuries could be prevented with protective eyewear that meets the Z87.1 standard set by the American National Standards Institute.

The lenses should be made from polycarbonate
The lenses should be scratch resistant as to not block vision
Lenses should also provide 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection
Protective eyewear should be equipped with padded or rubber bridges to ensure comfort
Finally, protective eyewear should be face-formed to provide a wider field of view.

Protective eyewear should have deep-grooved eyewires to keep the lenses from falling out if the frame is impacted.
Protective eyewear should have headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping.

“Slipping on a pair of safety glasses is quick and easy,” said ASOT President Ferenc Kuhn, MD, PhD. “Unfortunately, compared to other commonsense safety steps such as wearing seatbelts, using protective eyewear does not happen frequently enough.”

Be safe. Be prepared. Wear protective eyewear.

If you have any questions about Eye Injury Prevention and Protective Eyewear, or if you 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.

Sources:

Eye Protection The Vision Council

44% of Eye Injuries Occur in the Home: The Importance of Protective Eyewear

July 9, 2013 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

With the Fourth of July in our rearview mirror, we at the Anne Arundel Eye Center started to think about eye injuries. Did you know that 2.5 million eye injuries occur each and every year and 50,000 of those injuries result in complete or partial vision loss? More astonishingly, according to experts, 44% of Eye Injuries Occur in the Home and more than 90% of these injuries could have been prevented with proper protective eyewear. Every year, thousands of people suffer eye injuries in and around the home performing everyday tasks like mowing the lawn and frying bacon.

The Importance of Protective Eyewear

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT) recommend having AT LEAST one pair of protective eyewear in the home and to use the eyewear often.

“Protective eyewear could prevent most home eye injuries, but you have to have the eyewear in the home to use them,” said AAO spokesman Andrew Iwach.

Everyday household items, like bungee cords, frying pans, and lawn and household chemicals, present risks of eye injuries, risks that are often overlooked until it is too late. In fact, a survey conducted by AAO/ASOT revealed that most people underestimate their at-home risks. Most respondents ranked eye disease to be a more significant threat to their vision than injury.

“Slipping on a pair of safety glasses is quick and easy,” ASOT President Ferenc Kuhn, MD, PhD, says in a news statement. “Unfortunately, compared to other commonsense safety steps such as wearing seatbelts, using protective eyewear does not happen frequently enough.”

In fact, two-thirds of survey respondents admitted to owning protective eyewear, yet 30% said they did not consistently use the eyewear when doing home repairs or projects.

If you have any questions about our blog, “44% of Eye Injuries Occur in the Home: The Importance of Protective Eyewear,” or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at the Anne Arundel Eye Center 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.

Source:

Nearly Half of Eye Injuries Occur at Home

Prevent an Eye Emergency Around Chemicals and Construction by Wearing Goggles

November 17, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Eye injuries in the workplace are much more common than you may think. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports about 2,000 job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment every day. That is just in the United States, alone. And of those 2,000 occupational eye injuries, eye doctors believe that an incredible 90% could have been prevented with the use of proper eye protection. Because of this, the Occupational and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of protective eyewear – goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full-face respirators – whenever there is a reasonable probability of eye injury.

Proper eye protection differs depending on the specific situation and eye hazards present.

• Safety glasses with side shields should be worn in situations where foreign objects – dust, dirt, sawdust, etc. – will be flying around.

• Goggles should be worn whenever you are working with chemicals

• Specially made safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets should be worn near hazardous radiation

If you have any questions about eyewear, consult your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist. They should be able to help you determine what type of eye protection you need. You should always wear appropriate eye protection wherever and whenever there is any sort of threat of eye injury, especially at work.

High-risk occupations for eye injuries include:

• Construction

• Manufacturing

• Carpentry

• Auto Repair

• Electrical Work

• Plumbing

• Welding

• Maintenance

If you experience any eye injury, even if it seems minor, call your eye doctor immediately to schedule an eye exam or have a friend or family member drive you to the emergency room. Eye injuries are serious and require prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

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!

Led by Dr. Boles, 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.

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 and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Protecting Your Eyes at Work

October is Eye Injury Prevention Month :: Anne Arundel Eye Center

October 7, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

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.

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