It’s not uncommon for a person to wear protective gloves on their hands while they work in and around their home, and yet fail to protect their eyes, which are far more delicate than the skin. This is why eye injuries are the second most common injury that people have while at home. Did you know that about 50% of all eye injuries occur in or around the home?
Household cleaning products, lawn tools, and materials used for home improvement projects pose a risk to eyesight. Fortunately, this blog provides common ways to protect your eyes during any type of project. Along with the information for Home Eye Safety Month this October, these tips from Dr. John Goosey, a LASIK surgeon, can help protect and maintain your eyesight at home.
Wear Protective Goggles
If there is any chance of any object flying or splashing, protective eyewear should be used during the project. This includes indoor, as well as, outdoor work. Household cleaning products that are sprayed or poured can damage the eyes. Often, people think about wearing eye protection after they’ve been injured. If this happens while they are alone, it can be difficult to determine the best way to handle the injury. It’s important to seek medical assistance from an eye doctor as soon as possible, even if the eyes don’t hurt after they’re rinsed with water.
Take Extra Precautions Working Outside Your Home
Although it doesn’t occur all the time, people are sometimes injured while working in their garden. Doing everyday tasks is comfortable, and many people don’t think they’ll get hurt because they have experience with the equipment they’re using. Even using a lawn mower can result in injury if a small object shoots out of the machine the wrong way. Trimming and pruning are other common ways people get hurt in their garden. These serious injuries can be avoided by wearing protective eyewear similar to what professional landscapers use when they work on customers’ lawns.
Use Common Sense Regardless of Experience
Eye accidents can happen while a person is doing something they’ve done a hundred times before. Some injuries can be treated and heal over time; yet, others can cause permanent damage. Unfortunately, chemical splashes, bruising injuries, and foreign bodies getting into the eyes, happen every day in Houston homes. When working on a big project, it’s best to not work alone. However, if you must work alone, be sure to inform someone of what you will be doing around the home in case of an emergency; and take every precaution to keep your eyes protected.
Over 90% of eye injuries can easily be avoided by wearing goggles, taking extra care, and using common sense. Just as important as our homes are, so is maintaining our vision, overall eye health, and physical safety around the home. For more information on vision care, LASIK surgery, or eye health, contact Dr. Goosey at (713) 558-8777.
Read more about Home Eye Safety Month in October: http://www.preventblindness.org/eye-safety-home
