Preventing Summer Eye Injuries | Eye Injury Prevention Month

Eye injuries happen all year-round, but as the weather grows warmer and people spend more time outside, the possibility of an eye injury increases. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, summertime brings an increase in eye injuries.

Fortunately, eye injuries are often preventable. In fact, The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that roughly 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable by taking certain steps. 
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July is Eye Injury Prevention Month. It is the perfect time to consider some ways to reduce your risk of eye injuries this summer and beyond. 

Types of eye injuries

There are many types of eye injuries that can occur for a variety of reasons, such as:

• Corneal abrasions: This occurs when the clear part of the eye sustains a scratch. Corneal abrasions can vary in severity.
• Black eye: Typically, a black eye occurs when the tissues around the eye are bruised. 
• Eyelid cut: A cut or scratch to the eyelid can vary from minor to one needing stitches.
• Punctured eyeball: This is a serious eye injury that usually occurs when an object tears through the cornea. It can lead to vision loss. 

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Causes of summer eye injuries

Various situations and activities have the potential to cause eye injuries, including the following: 

Sports: Summer may mean more time outside playing sports. Sports that involve ball action, especially at high velocity, can cause an eye injury. Sports, such as baseball, tennis, and lacrosse, can cause injuries, including  corneal abrasions and retinal detachment.

Camping: The warmer weather is often the perfect time to head out camping. But be sure to be careful on your next camping trip. Eye injuries can have many causes, such as sparks from campfires, snapping bungee cords that hold camping equipment, or hooks from fishing poles accidentally injuring the eyes. Also, watch out for poison oak and poison ivory. Don’t touch plants in the woods and then touch your eyes.

Lawn care: Summertime often includes more yard work. From mowing the grass to trimming the hedges, be aware of potential eye dangers. Flying objects thrown from a lawnmower or hedge trimmer can lead to eye injuries.  

Fireworks: Fourth of July celebrations often include fireworks. Setting off your own fireworks can lead to serious injuries. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, about 15 percent of injuries from fireworks are to the eyes. 
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Preventing eye injuries 

Prevention is always the best medicine. The vast majority of eye injuries can be prevented by taking a few steps.

Wear protective eyewear when playing sports: If you are playing a sport that puts you at risk for an eye injury, wear protective eyewear that is shatter-proof.

Leave the fireworks to the professionals: Instead of setting off fireworks, leave it to the experts and attend a show.

Wear swim goggles: When swimming in a pond, river, or lake, wear swim goggles to prevent injuries from sticks and twigs that may be sticking out of the water and can poke your eye.

Wear eye protection when doing yard work: If you are doing yard work that can cause flying projectile objects, wear eye protection.  
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Emergency treatment 

If you do sustain an eye injury, it is important to seek professional help. In the meantime, consider the following:

• Do not remove an object stuck in the eye
• Do not place pressure on the eye
• Place a protective cover over the eye, such as the bottom of a paper cup, until you can get medical attention
• Do not rub your eyes
• Do not use over the counter eye medications until you see an eye doctor
• Do not take over the counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen, which may increase bleeding

We hope the above information will keep you safe this summer and prevent eye injuries. If you would like to discuss whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.