Common Eye Injuries at Home & How to Prevent Them | Home Eye Safety & Eye Injury Prevention Month

​Your home should be your haven, where you spend time with your family and relax, but accidents in and around the home are all too common. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), about half of eye injuries occur at home.

Many people don’t realize the potential hazards to their eyes that exist in and around their homes. ​

When you’re performing everyday tasks at home, such as doing chores, your eye safety may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Accidents do happen though, and they can lead to various types of eye injuries, such as chemical burns, puncture wounds, or corneal scratches in one or both eyes. 

The severity of at-home eye injuries certainly varies. While some minor injuries may not cause serious or long-lasting problems, other more severe injuries can lead to permanent eye damage and even vision loss. While you don’t need to wear safety goggles at home at all times to prevent eye trauma, there are plenty of things you can do to decrease your risk of eye injuries in general and when undertaking certain activities. 

Common Causes of Eye Injuries at Home & How to Prevent Them

Prevention is your best medicine when it comes to avoiding eye injuries at home. The AAO, along with the American Society of Ocular Trauma, recommends that every household should have at least one pair of safety glasses approved by the American National Standards Institute. Those safety glasses should be in good shape, comfortable, and readily accessible when you need them. Additionally, being aware of the possible hazards allows you to take the precautions needed to keep your eyes protected.
 
So with that, let’s take a look at some common causes of eye injuries at home and ways you can decrease your risk:
 
Cooking
Who doesn’t enjoy a good home-cooked meal? If you’re the chef, make sure you follow a few safety precautions to avoid injuring your eyes.

• Handling hot oil or grease: One of the most common eye injuries associated with cooking is a burn from hot oil splashing into the eyes. To avoid getting splashed with oil or grease, place a lid on the pan or use a grease shield. Wearing protective eyewear is a good precaution when working with hot liquids as well.  

• Working with spicy foods: Certain spicy ingredients can burn if you handle them and then touch your eyes. Consider using gloves when working with foods like hot peppers, and be diligent about washing your hands thoroughly so as not to contaminate your eyes. 

 
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are often used to accentuate the eyes, but they can also lead to eye injuries. Eye injuries from tweezers, mascara wands, and hair dye are not uncommon. Here are some tips to protect your eyes from these potential trauma sources:

• Tweezers: It’s easy to cut or puncture an eye with tweezers if you’re not careful. Make sure you have a firm grip on the tweezers, and use a mirror with plenty of light to see what you’re doing.
• Mascara: Resist the temptation to apply eye makeup on the go. Even if you’re a passenger in a car, applying eye mascara on the road is unsafe. A bump or sudden stop can cause you to poke and injure your eye. 

• Hair Dye: Be careful when applying hair dye. Quickly wipe any dye that drips onto your forehead. Dye that spills into your eyes can lead to permanent damage. Also, never use hair dye on your eyebrows.

 
Cleaning With & Using Chemicals
While cleaning may not be your favorite activity for other reasons, you don’t usually associate it with risk of eye injury. Injuries from cleaning can occur easily though. Fumes from chemicals can irritate eyes. More serious eye injuries can also occur if cleaning products splash into your eyes. Common cleaning products, such as oven cleaners and bleach, can lead to vision loss if they get into the eyes, so be extra careful when using harsh cleaners and chemicals. Other substances found around your home, such as pool chemicals and pesticides, can also be harmful and damaging if they get into your eyes.
 
Before you decide you had better not risk it, and stop cleaning altogether, there are a few simple things you can do to protect your vision, including these tips:

• Follow the directions on all products you use.
• Do not mix chemicals, which can lead to toxic combinations.
• Use gloves when cleaning, and avoid rubbing your eyes.
• Make sure spray nozzles on bottles are pointed away from you before you start using the product.

• Wear safety goggles when using toxic products to keep your eyes protected.

 
Falls
According to research conducted by John Hopkins University, and reported by the AAO, falls are one of the most common causes of eye injuries. Injuries from falls are especially common in adults over 60. To decrease the chances of taking a tumble and sustaining an eye injury, take the following precautions:

• Remove clutter, which may be a tripping hazard.
• Make sure all rugs are secured to the floor with non-skid pads or tacks.
• Install hand railings on staircases and place nightlights in hallways.

• Place guards on furniture and cabinets with shape corners.

 
Bungee Cords
Bungee cords are versatile and can be used to bundle items, hang things on walls, and secure open packages. Bungee cords can also lead to eye injuries if they snap back towards your face and eyes. Consider using alternatives to bungee cords, such as rope. If you do use a bungee cord, use the appropriate size cord for your task to decrease the chances it will snap back.

If an Eye Injury Does Occur at Home

Taking some of the steps identified above may help you protect your eyes and vision at home. If you do suffer an eye injury though, even if you think it’s minor, please have it checked out by an eye doctor as soon as possible. Of course, if you think it might be severe, see an ophthalmologist immediately to minimize damage and your risk of vision loss.
 
Before you go any further, please visit our previous article in this series, Protecting Your Eyes During Home Improvement Projects, if you haven’t already, and be sure to read the section, “What to Do in Case of an Injury”. Of course, if you have any questions about eye safety, preventing eye injuries in and around your home, a current or past eye injury, or scheduling an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists, please call our office at 508-746-8600.
 
We hope you’re finding our Home Eye Safety Month and Eye Injury Prevention Month articles valuable. Please check back with us soon for our next post on Preventing Eye Injuries at Work.