Avoiding Eye Injuries
How to prevent eye injuries:
Eye injuries affect more than one million people every year. Consider these reminders from Prevent Blindness America for you and your child:
At home or outside:
- Wash your hands after using household chemicals.
- Ensure there are no sharp corners on the edges of furnishings and home fixtures.
- Wear chemical safety goggles when using hazardous solvents and detergents, and do not mix cleaning agents around or near your child.
- Turn spray nozzles away from your face and the faces of others.
- Read and follow directions when opening bottle-tops (i.e., wine, carbonated beverages).
- Read and follow directions when playing games and operating equipment.
- Provide lights and handrails to improve safety on stairs.
- Keep paints, pesticides, and fertilizers properly stored in a secure area.
- Make sue you and your child wear recommended protective goggles, helmets, and safety gear during the appropriate activities.
- Use guards on all power equipment.
- Make sure your child's eyes are protected either by a wind-brimmed hat or by wearing ultraviolet (UV)-protective sunglasses.
- Teach your child to never look directly at the sun (especially during an eclipse).
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At play:
- Make sure your child wears recommended protective eyewear during the appropriate sports and recreational activities.
- A helmet with a polycarbonate face mask or wire shield should be worn during the appropriate sports.
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With children:
- Select toys that are appropriate for the child's age and activity level.
- Provide adequate supervision for your child during activities that use sharp objects (i.e., arts and crafts).
- Do not permit a child to play with projectile toys such as pellet guns or bows and arrows.
- Beware of items in playgrounds and play areas that pose potential eye hazards.
- Keep all hazardous cleaning supplies and sprays out of the reach of children.
- Keep children away from fireworks.
- Set an example of using the appropriate protective eyewear during sporting and recreational activities.
- Keep children away from lawnmowers in use, as debris may be projected into the air.
- At school, teach children to wear protective eye wear when performing science or lab experiments.
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