Gifts, Toys & Your Child's Eye Safety | Safe Toys & Gifts Month

It’s that time of year again, when children of all ages tear into Christmas presents and holiday gifts with excitement!

​Before you allow your child to rush to open his or her gifts though, we invite you to make sure the presents they’re about to open do not present any hazards to their eyes, if you want to protect your child’s eyes and vision this holiday season.
​

Although eye safety may not be the first thing that comes to mind when selecting toys for your child or others, it’s definitely something to consider. Eye injuries from toys are not uncommon. According to a 2016 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 240,000 children were treated in the emergency room due to toy injuries. About 45 percent of those injuries involved the head and face area, including the eyes. Toys should be fun and safe. The last thing you want is to see your child suffer an eye injury from a present he or she just received.
 
In order to keep your child’s eyes and vision safe this holiday season, keep in mind potential toy hazards, high-risk toys, and eye safety. We’ll cover each below.
​

Toy Safety Hazards

Various types of eye injuries can be the result of a hazardous or improper use of a toy. Although some injuries may be minor, others can lead to more serious eye damage, including permanent vision loss. Eye injuries from toys can include:

• Corneal abrasions
• Retinal detachments
• Corneal ulcers

• Bleeding inside the eye

 
At first glance, a toy may seem safe, but it’s important to take a closer look and consider the potential risks. For example, does a toy have sharp edges or pointy pieces that can poke and injure an eye? Also, how the toy is used? Toys that can be aimed at others, such as water or dart guns, can quickly lead to an eye injury.
 
It’s essential to consider the child’s age when buying and giving a gift. Young children aren’t the only ones who can sustain an eye injury from a toy. Even older kids and teens are at risk when playing with certain high-risk toys. 

High-Risk Toys

Certain toys pose higher risks to your child’s eyes than others. The following guide doesn’t necessarily mean that each toy is off limits, but it’s important to consider your child’s and maturity level before allowing your child to have certain toys, including:

• Toy swords and wands: Toy swords may be fun to battle the ‘bad guys’, but they can also lead to eye injuries. Toy swords and wands often have pointy ends that can poke, and even pierce, and eye and cause minor to severe damage.
• Toy guns that shoot a projectile object: Any type of toy gun that shoots a projectile object can be hazardous to your child’s eye. Even lightweight, foam darts can be harmful. These types of toy guns can often shoot distances of 70 feet, meaning darts certainly move at speeds fast enough to damage the eye if hit.
• Toys with aerosol string: Certain toys may contain aerosol string. The aerosol-propelled string contains chemicals that can irritate the eyes and cause chemical conjunctivitis. It can also potentially scratch the eyes.

• Toy fishing poles: Little kids may enjoy playing with a toy fishing pole, but be aware that the end of the pole can poke your child’s eye or a playmate’s. When objects are secured to the end of the fishing line, like a hook or lure, they can also cause an eye injury.

 
While this is not a comprehensive list of all toys that can cause eye injuries, you can use this as a general guide when selecting gifts for your child or other children. Always make sure to evaluate the individual toy to determine if it appears to have the potential to cause an eye injury.

Eye-Safe Toy Tips

When it comes to decreasing the chances of a toy leading to an eye injury, it’s useful to keep a few things in mind:

1. Look for the safety mark: Toys that are marked “ASTM” have been reviewed and met the standards set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The ASTM mark does not mean the toy is right for your child, but it has at least met certain national safety standards.
2. Shop in stores, instead of online, for toys: Although online shopping is convenient, often it’s difficult to see the features of a toy as well. When you buy a toy in person, at the store, you can see it up close and make sure it’s safe. If you have a particular toy in mind, but are not sure of its safety, you can always look for online reviews posted by other parents before purchasing in a store.  
3. Read warning labels: Warning labels on toys are there for a reason. Please don’t ignore them. By reading a warning label, you may find out information about the toy that you didn’t think to consider. This goes for toys you purchase for your child, as well as presents that friends and family may gift your child.
4. Remember the age recommendations on the toy packaging are a general guideline: Recommendations on toys are just that, a recommendation. Even if the package indicates the toy is appropriate for a certain age, it doesn’t mean it’s right for every child of that age range. The maturity level of the child and his or her style of play, not just the child’s age, are also significant factors in whether a certain toy is appropriate for your child now. If not, hold onto the toy until you feel your child is ready to play with it safely.  
5. Supervise as needed: Even if you take certain precautions, nothing replaces good supervision when children are using certain toys. Use appropriate guidance indoors and out as needed.
6. Use appropriate safety glasses for science and woodworking kits: If your child is looking forward to playing with a science or woodworking kit, make sure he or she uses the proper protective eyewear. Even toy science kits that involve chemicals can lead to an eye injury if the chemical splashes. Visit our posts on children’s eye safety to learn about proper protective eyewear, and consider purchasing safe eyewear as a gift to go along with the new kit, if you’re child doesn’t already have appropriate eye protection.

 
We hope you learned some good tips to keep your child’s eyes safe this holiday season and throughout the year! By choosing toys wisely, you can make the holidays merry, bright, and safe for your child and the children on your shopping list. If you have any questions about safe toys or toy safety, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.

​Happy Holidays from all of us at Kadrmas Eye Care New England!