Eye Injury Prevention Tips

Whether you’re at work, home, or school, it’s important to protect your eyes. An eye injury can lead to vision damage and even blindness. Most eye injuries can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective eyewear. There are other steps you can take to protect your vision as well.

Protecting Your Vision

At Work

Many people who sustain eye injuries on the job either didn’t think they needed to wear eye protection or were wearing inappropriate eyewear. In addition to wearing protective eyewear that is appropriate for your job, if you work with tools or machinery, be sure confirm that everything is in proper working order before you begin.

At Home

Many cleaning products can irritate or damage the delicate tissues in and around your eyes. Before using any household chemical, be sure to thoroughly read the instructions on the label. Work in a well-ventilated area and take care to point spray nozzles away from your face. When cooking, use grease shields to prevent hot oil from splattering into your eyes.

In the Yard

Put on protective eyewear prior to using a lawnmower, trimmer, edger, leaf blower, or another power tool. Before you begin, check for and remove any loose rocks or debris that could potentially be kicked up and become a dangerous projectile.

In a Workshop

Whether you are working or observing, always wear protective eyewear with side shields to safeguard your eyes from flying fragments, dust particles, sparks, and splashing chemicals. These objects can fly into your eyes unexpectedly and cause an injury.

In a Garage

Keep protective goggles in the trunk of your car that you can use for both everyday repairs and emergencies. Battery acid, sparks, and debris from a damaged or improperly jump-started battery can severely damage your eyes.

In Sports

Any sport that involves the use of a ball, puck, stick, bat, racket, or flying object presents a risk of eye injury. When participating in any of these sports, wear appropriate protective eyewear (labeled as ASTM F803-approved).

Also, no matter where you are, you can prevent eye injuries resulting from small debris by washing your hands thoroughly and often.

What to Do

If you sustain an eye injury, seek medical attention right away. Do not touch or rub your eye. If an object is stuck in your eye, or if a chemical splashed into your eye and you are still experiencing pain after flushing the eye with water, you should go directly to the nearest emergency room. Otherwise, seek help from an ophthalmologist or another doctor as soon as possible — even if your injury seems to be minor.

If you have questions, contact or visit South Tampa Immediate Care. Our office is located at 602 South Howard Avenue in Tampa, FL, and we’re available seven days a week.