Some of the most ordinary activities can cause extraordinary injuries. Fortunately, taking the simplest of measures can prevent about 90% of these injuries. Choose protective eyewear with “ANSIZ87.1” marked on the lens or frame.
Independence Day celebrations almost always include fireworks of some kind. The Prevent Blindness America organization recommends attending professionally organized fireworks displays rather than buying and setting off your own. According to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, eye injuries are the second most common of fireworks-related injuries seen in hospital emergency rooms. Sparklers cause the greatest number of injuries in children 14 years of age and younger, followed by firecrackers and rockets. Almost 50% of these injuries in 2005 were to children age 5 and younger. Sparklers burn at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and bottle rockets can stray off course or throw shrapnel when they explode.
If anyone in your family has an eye injured by fireworks, you can do the following right away to minimize damage to the eye:
- DO NOT rub the eye. Rubbing the eye may increase bleeding or make the injury worse.
- DO NOT attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
- DO NOT apply pressure to the eye itself. Holding or taping a foam cup or the bottom of a juice carton to the eye are just two tips. Protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the person’s hand, is the goal.
- DO NOT stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the injured person to the emergency room at once - this is more important than stopping for a pain reliever.
- DO NOT apply ointment. Ointment, which may not be sterile, makes the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.
*Source: Prevent Blindness America
To prevent injury to your eyes:
- Make sure you wear sunglasses to avoid the sun’s harmful UV rays. Studies show that exposure to bright sunlight over time can damage the eyes.
- If you participate in sports activities, wear protective eyewear appropriate for your sport.
- Attend only professional firework displays. Leave fireworks in the hands of trained professionals.
- Wear protective eyewear while changing your car battery, mowing your lawn, working with chemicals, and performing other hazardous activities around the home and workplace.
*Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology
When an eye injury does occur, have an ophthalmologist or other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor at first.
A serious eye injury is not always immediately obvious. Delaying medical attention can cause the damaged areas to worsen and could result in permanent vision loss or blindness.
For all eye injuries:
- DO NOT touch, rub or apply pressure to the eye.
- DO NOT try to remove the object stuck in the eye.
- Do not apply ointment or medication to the eye.
- See a doctor as soon as possible, preferably an ophthalmologist.
*Source: http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/
