Eye Injury Prevention Month

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more than one million people per year are affected by an eye injury and 90% of these injuries could have been prevented if the individuals were wearing protective eye wear.

Eye injuries can cause vision loss or blindness. It's important to be able to recognize some of the most common symptoms of eye injuries:

• Punches
• Blows from hands, balls or other sports equipment
• Flying pieces of material from explosions or industrial work
• Flying objects such as bullets, darts, fireworks, bungee cords, and BBs
• Chemical splashes

Some facts and tips:

• Accidental eye injury is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in the United States.
• Men are more likely to suffer from an eye injury than women.
• The leading causes of eye injuries include sports accidents, consumer fireworks, household chemicals and battery acid, as well as workshop and yard debris.
• Eyes can be damaged by the sun, not just dust, chemicals and foreign bodies.
• Wear safety goggles when working in the workshop or yard, jump-starting your car or working with cleaning products or other chemicals.
• Always wear appropriate protective eyewear during sports and recreational activities.
• Most people believe eye injuries are most common on the job, especially in factories and on construction sites. But in fact, nearly half of all eye injuries occurred in the home.
• Home repairs, yard work, cleaning and cooking caused more than 40 percent of eye injuries. More than a third of those injuries in the home happened in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room. 

Wearing the proper protective eyewear greatly reduces your risk of an eye injury and vision loss. According to a national survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 35 percent of respondents said they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance. Even fewer do so while playing sports. The Optical Center at The Eye Institute (TEI) offers protective goggles and eyewear for sports and activities.

If an injury does occur, contact your optometrist or other medical doctor to examine the eye as soon as possible. TEI offers emergency ocular care services in addition to its general and specialty practices for its patients. During normal operating hours patients requiring urgent or emergency care should report to the Emergency Service in The Eye Institute for emergency triage. If emergency care is required after hours, ONLY patients who have been examined at TEI in the past THREE years should call the after-hours number: 215-276-3035. If you are NOT a TEI patient, care after hours should be sought at a local hospital.