Home Eye Safety Tips

Most people do not think about wearing eye protection while cleaning, cooking, doing yard work or working in the garage. However, half of all eye injuries occur when completing these everyday chores, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

When people are doing household chores, they don’t think about the risks they take by not wearing protective eyewear. You can reduce the risk of potential eye injuries at home by following these simple tips during daily tasks in and around your home.

Eye Safety Tips While Cooking and in the Kitchen 

• If you’re cooking with oil, be sure to use some sort of shield to prevent it from splashing up on you.
• Carry shears and knives carefully and be aware of surroundings.
• Keep face away from pans while cooking hot peppers.
• Avoid touching your eyes after handling hot peppers, onions, or other foods with strong residues.

Eye Safety Tips for the Garden and Yard 

• When using a lawn mower or power trimmer, wear safety glasses or goggles under a face shield as debris can unexpectedly enter the eye at a high rate of speed.
• Wear goggles when working with power saws or trimmers.
• Turn off power tools when near an unprotected bystander, especially when young children approach.
• Wear goggles to protect your eyes from fertilizers, pesticides and other yard chemicals, including lime dust.
• Read and follow all product instructions. Obey warnings on yard chemicals and equipment. 

Protecting Your Eyes During Cleaning and Housework 

• When you’re using products like bleach, detergents, and cleansers, never mix chemical agents. Read labels and follow instructions.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles while working with chemicals.
• Be careful not to direct spray bottles towards you and be aware of any breeze.
• Clean in well-ventilated areas.
• Make sure hands are washed thoroughly before touching the eyes or face. 

Eye Safety Tips at Home for Children 

• Keep any hazardous materials in closed containers, stored out of reach of children.
• Pay attention to your children’s toys. Be aware of any toys that can be used as projectiles such as toy guns and slingshots. Teach them not to snap rubber or stretchy toys that may snap their eyes,
• Monitor video game and computer time because too much may harm young eyes. Teach your children to take frequent breaks from digital entertainment and electronics.
• Make sure tools and cleaning supplies are out of the reach of children.
• Keep small children safe around dogs. When dogs bite young children, eye injuries frequently occur.
• Make sure your child wears protective glasses, goggles, and helmets while playing sports and other recreational activities. Any sport featuring a ball, puck, stick, bat, racket or flying object, is a potential risk of eye injury. 

Computer and Digital Devices Eye Safety Tips

• Remember to take frequent breaks from staring at monitors. The 20-20-20 rule offers guidance for eye health and safety. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes and stare at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 
• Remember to blink frequently to avoid dry eye.
• Change brightness and contrast: Change the computer monitor’s brightness and contrast to more comfortable level. You can also reduce screen glare by using shades or blinds on nearby windows

If an injury does occur, contact your optometrist to examine the eye as soon as possible. The Eye Institute (TEI) offers emergency 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.