Seeing clearly

  • Published
  • By Rod Krause
  • 5th Bomb Wing Safety and Occupational Health Manager
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  According to the American Academy of Ophthalmologym, one million eye injuries occur each year in the U.S. Many of these eye injuries could have been easily prevented by taking a few common sense safety measures such as wearing goggles or other protective eye equipment on the job, around the house and/or during sports.

Did you know that 43 percent of all eye injuries occur in the home? An alarming and steadily increasing problem is chemical burns to eyes from the use of household products and even car batteries.

The AAO also states more than 40,000 injuries are sports related and could be prevented with appropriate eyewear. In fact, I am a prime example of this statistic. A few years ago, while playing hockey, I decided to take my face shield off my helmet (because it was uncomfortable) and played while only wearing a pair of sports glasses to protect my eyes. I was guarding my goalie, when I caught a deflection off another players stick, and caught the puck under my left eye. Sure enough, it broke my glasses, lacerated my eyebrow, and blood was everywhere! Believe me, the stitches hurt.

Again, in the majority of eye injuries, most could have been prevented with protective eyewear. Here is a list of the most common places where eye injuries occur, as well as prevention tips for both indoor and outdoor activities:

In the house
When using household chemicals, read the instructions and labels carefully; work in a well-ventilated area and make sure to point spray nozzles away from you. Many chemicals are extremely hazardous and can permanently destroy the surface of your eyes, resulting in blindness. For this reason, it is very important to use appropriate eye protection.

In the workshop
Think about the work you will be doing and wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from flying fragments, fumes, dust particles, sparks and splashing chemicals. Many objects can fly into your eyes unexpectedly and cause injury.

In the garden
Put on protective eyewear before you use a lawnmower, power trimmer or edger and be sure to check for rocks and stones because they can become dangerous projectiles as they shoot from these machines.

In the garage
Battery acid, sparks and debris from damaged or improperly jump-started auto batteries can severely damage your eyes. Learn the proper way to jump-start an automobile, and keep protective goggles in the trunk of your car to use for those emergencies and everyday repairs.

In an effort to combat household eye injuries, the academy recommends that every household have at least one pair of American National Standards Institute-approved protective eyewear to be worn when doing projects and activities at home to safeguard against eye injuries.

ANSI-approved protective eyewear is manufactured to meet ANSI eye protection standards, can be easily purchased from most hardware stores nationwide identifiable by the mark "Z87" placed on the eyewear. ANSI-approved protective eyewear is not approved for use in sports. To learn about appropriate eyewear for specific sports or to learn more about eye injuries visit www.GetEyeSmart.org.

If your eye is injured, do not delay in getting it examined by a professional. Contact your own eye doctor or go to an emergency room as soon as possible. The AAO also has these suggestions when faced with an injury:

· Do not rub your eye under any circumstances.
· Do not put any kind of ointment or medication on the eye.
· If the eye has been cut in any way, do not wash it out.
· Do wash it out if the damage is the result of a chemical burn.
· A blow to the eye may not seem to cause any damage but it should be checked carefully, without any pressure. Apply a cold compress to cut any pain or swelling and get it checked right away.
· If you get something in your eye, like sand you can use eyewash to wash it out. Do not rub the eye. If you are unable to get it out right away, cover the eye and get it checked out by a professional.
· Do not use aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. If there is any bleeding, they can thin the blood and make it worse.

Remember, it only takes second to put on some sort of eye protection, and only a second to lose your eyesight without it...