With school starting soon, it is a great time to discuss the importance of eye safety for kids.  Eye injuries can happen to anyone, but the fact is that more than 50% occur in people under the age of 25. Not surprising that many of these injuries, over 100,000 annually, occur during sports or recreational activities.

It is essential for parents to understand the potentially unsafe situations at home and in school and to insist that their children use protective eyewear when participating in sports or other hazardous activities. Why? Because 90% of all eye injuries could be prevented with protective eyewear.

Eye Safety & Sports

In baseball, ice hockey, and lacrosse, a helmet with a face mask or wire shield should be worn.

Sports eye protectors should be worn in sports such as basketball, racquet sports, soccer, baseball, and field hockey.

While skiing or snowboarding, protective glasses or goggles that filter out UV can be very useful in protecting the eyes from sunburn.

Martial arts can pose an extremely high risk of serious eye injury. No adequate protection is available, so parents need to keep this in mind when allowing kids to participate in this sport.

Eye safety at Home

Provide supervision and instruction when younger children are handling potentially unsafe items such as pencils, scissors, and forks. Be aware that even common household items such as paper clips, wire coat hangers, and rubber bands can pose a threat to the eyes.

It is probably no surprise that projectile toys such as darts, bows and arrows, and missile-firing toys can cause eye injuries, as well as pellet and BB guns.

Do not allow children in the yard while a lawnmower or trimmer is being operated. Stones and debris thrown from the blades can cause eye injuries.

 Eye Safety in School

When participating in shop or chemistry science labs, students should wear protective goggles.

When an Injury Does Occur

The seriousness of an eye injury isn’t always apparent, so it is best to have your doctor at Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region examine the eye as soon as possible. Avoid rubbing or touching the eye, as this could cause further damage.