Regular eye exams can catch developing problems before they rob you of your vision, but one of the most important things that you can do to prevent blindness is to avoid injuring your eyes. About 40% of serious eye injuries occur in the home, and they can happen anywhere - at school, at work, while driving, and when you"re out having fun.
Accidents at home
One reason that so many eye injuries happen at home is because we don"t think of the home as a dangers place. The truth is we are always surrounded by things that can damage our eyes. You can make your home more eye-friendly. Some simple things to remember for eye safety include:
• Always wear protective eye wear when using power tools and lawn equipment
• Only use power tools and lawn equipment that is well maintained
• Check for sharp edges on furniture and fixtures
• Keep sharp objects away from children
• Make sure that all toys are age appropriate
• Point champagne bottles away from your face when opening
Household chemicals
Household chemical are incredibly dangerous. Not only can you blind yourself in an instant, they can cause poisoning, lung damage, a myriad of long-term health problems, and death. It"s almost unbelievable how hazardous the chemicals we keep around the house for cleaning and lawn care can be. Protect your eyes from household chemical by remembering these basic safety measures:
• Point nozzles away from your face
• Work in a well ventilated area
• Do not mix cleaning agents
• Always wash your hands after using any household chemical, even after washing dishes!
• Wear chemical safety goggles when using solvents and detergents
• Store all cleaning and lawn care products securely
• Keep you face away from the work area
Sun
Your eyes can get sunburned, causing short-term pain. More importantly, UV rays do long term damage to your vision, contributing to most eye conditions which cause vision loss and blindness. Always wear sunglasses with UV protection when you go outside for any reason, even if you don"t plan to be out long and even when it is overcast or cloudy.
Sports
Basketball is actually the leading cause of sport-related eye injury, followed by water sports and pool activities, and baseball/softball. Obviously activities such as paintball and target practice can cause eye injuries as well. Protective eyewear is available for every sport. Proper sporting eyewear bears an American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) code.