We bet you have never given a paperclip or a glowstick a second thought when it comes to eye injuries. However, mishaps or accidents do happen ranging from a minor scratch on the front urface of the eye (called a corneal abrasion), to very serious, sight-threatening injuries such as bleeding inside the eye or even retinal detachment.
Majority of eye injuries occur at home. Below we take a look at some potentially harmful hazards you might never have considered:
Cleaning products or ammonia:
Just one drop of strong cleaning detergent can cause permanent eye damage or loss of vision. When using any chemicals in and around your home, be aware of your naked eye or try to wear safety goggles, make sure the area is well-ventilated and be sure the nozzle is pointed away from your face before you spray. Never allow children to play nearby when cleaning and always store these products safely out of reach.
Power Tools and Lawn Mowers:
Make sure children are not playing in the garden when the grass is cut or when power tools are used, and that small stones and debris are cleared from your lawn before mowing. Once again, it is best that you wear protective goggles to shield your own eyes from dust, debris, sparks, and fumes.
The low-down on unsafe toys:
Toys handled by the wrong age group can be very unsafe. Children need to play with age-appropriate toys, as without supervision – these unharmful items can become very dangerous. Who knew that water balloons when forcibly thrown into the face or toy guns which shoot a forceful steam of water could cause serious blunt trauma to the eye and could result in retinal detachment. Toy BB guns are top of the list of dangerous toys especially when used at close range. Be vigilant when buying age-appropriate toys and make sure that youngsters are supervised especially when playing with older children.
All things that glow’:
The chemicals in these products can cause eye irritation and a type of pink eye called chemical conjunctivitis. When used at close range, aerosol string can also cause a corneal abrasion that could lead to a serious eye infection. Another common injury is caused by sparklers, which burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees. Injuries involving fireworks are dangerous, with one in 20 victims losing all useful vision. Always provide assistance to children using these toys and never allow kids to “crack” the glow in the dark ones near their eyes.
Laser pointers and bright flashlights:
Portable laser pointers, like those used for presentations, should never be used by children, the power density from a 1-milliwatt laser, focused to a point, is brighter than the equivalent area of the sun’s surface. This can cause a detectable injury to the retina if the laser stays in one spot for a few seconds.
We all want out kids to be happy and healthy, and of course we want to protect them from any potential dangers. We can best achieve this by purchasing age-appropriate safe toys, storing potential harmful chemicals correctly and providing adult supervision where necessary. If you encounter any hazardous eye injuries, please contact you nearest Spec-Savers Optometrist immediately.
Date Published: 08 March 2018
