Experts Focus On Eye Protection During Summer Months

July Is Eye Injury Prevention Month

Summer is the season of spending time outdoors, but with many of the activities enjoyed by millions of Americans there are risks for eye injuries.

An estimated 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the US each year, with most occurring during the summer months.

As a result, nearly 1 million Americans have permanent visual impairment, and more than 75 percent of these people are blind in one eye, according to the US Eye Injury Registry.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has designated July as Eye Injury Prevention Month to bring attention to this problem.

So, as you work, play, clean, or simply savor the sun, take precautions to protect your eyes.

Take Precautions To Prevent Sun Damage

Sunglasses are the most important tool in your eye-protection arsenal, says Betsy van Die, Prevent Blindness America spokeswoman.

"They don't have to cost a fortune, but the important thing is that they are marked to block UV rays," van Die says.

Ultraviolet rays can cause sunburned corneas, cancer of the eyelid, and increased risk of eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration, she says.

The rays also can cause pterygium, a benign tissue growth that begins in the white of the eye but can extend into the cornea.

"When that happens, vision can become blocked and surgery is then necessary," says van Die, noting that tennis player Jennifer Capriati had surgery on both eyes for pterygium last fall.

For the best protection, you should wear sunglasses that block 99 percent to 100 percent of UV radiation. When buying sunglasses, look for a sticker on them that offers that measure of safety. Do not buy sunglasses that just say they "block harmful UV," van Die says.

"Everybody is at risk [of UV damage]," adds van Die, "whether it's a child or an adult. Anybody who spends time in the sun and exposes their eyes to the sun without wearing sunglasses or a hat is at risk."

Hats can be used as an alternative.

"Wide-brimmed hats by themselves will give some protection from UV rays," she says.

Protective Gear Stops Flying Materials

Summer is also the season when individuals spend time making repairs to their homes or beautify yards. Experts urge the use of safety glasses, tight-fitting goggles, or a face mask to prevent injury.

Goggles or safety glasses should be used whenever a person works with power equipment for yard work. You also should be sure that anyone who is near a lawnmower, power trimmer, or edger is similarly equipped.

"If kids are watching you, they should also wear goggles even if they're not doing any work," van Die says. "Even sunglasses are better than nothing at all, because they will prevent things from flying up into your eyes."

To further reduce a chance of injury, always check for stones, twigs, or other debris before using yard equipment. They can become dangerous projectiles after shooting out of a lawnmower's blades or off a weed trimmer's cord.

Goggles also should be worn when using household chemicals, many of which can burn the eye's delicate tissues. These include cleaning solutions, pool chemicals, or garden sprays.

Similar precautions should be taken when jump-starting a car - battery acid, sparks, or debris flying from a damaged auto battery can cause severe damage.

Dr. Ron Danis, a professor of ophthalmology at Indiana University, also recommends that parents and children consider wearing protective gear when playing summer sports.

Baseball and softball games result in a surprising amount of eye damage, Dr. Danis says, noting that every one in 20 serious eye injuries are related to the two sports.

"There are so many kids playing ball over the summer that if you look at the numbers, they add up," Danis says.
The batter is most at risk for injury, he says. Batters already wear a protective helmet, but Danis thinks an extra step could further trim the chance of eye injury.

"I strongly endorse the use of a face plate on the helmet, which is a minor modification of equipment they have to wear anyway," Danis says.

Paintball is another summertime pastime that has been linked to an increasing number of eye injuries, Danis says.
Back in the early 1990s, when paintball equipment was expensive and not easily obtainable, it "wasn't even on our radar," Danis says.

The guns, which shoot high-velocity paint capsules, were used only in well-supervised paintball courses, which required people to wear protective gear and goggles.

Now, more people are buying paintball guns for home use, and the number of eye injuries is rising, he says.

The same goes for BB and pellet guns, which continue to be a factor in 5 percent to 6 percent of accidental eye injuries, Danis says. "Most of these injuries are, of course, in children, and most involve a person who didn't shoot the gun."

Eyewear approved by the American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection provides the best defense. Look for the "ANSI Z87" mark on the frames or lenses.

Goggles approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials also provide good eye protection for people playing sports.

Always consult your physician for more information.

 Tips for Avoiding Eye Injury at Home

• Wash your hands after using household chemicals.

• Ensure there are no sharp corners on the edges of furnishing and home fixtures.

• Wear chemical safety goggles when using hazardous solvents and detergents, and do not mix cleaning agents.

• Turn spray nozzles away from your face.
  Read and follow directions when opening bottle-tops (i.e. wine, carbonated beverages).

• Read and follow directions when playing games and operating equipment.

• Provide lights and handrails to improve safety on stairs.

• Keep paints, pesticides, and fertilizers properly stored in a secure area.

• Wear recommended protective goggles, helmets, and safety gear.

• Use guards on all power equipment.

• Wear ultraviolet (UV)-protective sunglasses.

• Never look directly at the sun (especially during an eclipse).

Always consult your physician for more information.

July 2003

Experts Focus On Eye Protection During Summer Months

Take Precautions To Prevent Sun Damage

Protective Gear Stops Flying Materials

Tips for Avoiding Eye Injury at Home

Leave Fireworks Display to the Experts

First-Aid for Eyes

Online Resources

Leave Fireworks Display to the Experts

Prevent Blindness America, a national eye health and safety organization, has declared June 1 through July 4 as Fireworks Safety Month.

Eyes are the second most likely part of the body to be injured by an errant firework. The most recent statistics show about 1,600 eye injuries occurring yearly, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. The most often injured body part is the hand, with 1,800 injuries reported.

Fireworks caused four deaths and about 9,500 injuries in the US in the most recent year reported. Three of every five fireworks injuries occurred in the 30-day period surrounding the Fourth of July.

And children under 15 suffered about half the total fireworks injuries for 2001.

Bottle rockets are to blame for more eye injuries than any other type of fireworks, experts say. They caused 25 percent of eye injuries in 2001, followed by firecrackers and sparklers, both at 13 percent.

"Bottle rockets misfire, and they follow an erratic flight path when they shoot off," says Betsy van Die, a Prevent Blindness America spokeswoman. "You can't control them, and that's why they're unsafe."

Sparklers also cause many injuries to children - about one-third of the injuries to kids under age 5.

They burn at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Virginia Society of Ophthalmology - hot enough to melt gold.

"Little kids get too close to them or put them in each other's faces, and of course the sparks are flying off," van Die says.

Always consult your physician for more information.

First-Aid for Eyes

To lessen the risk of permanent damage caused by eye injuries, it is important to treat eye injuries immediately. Consult your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

First-aid for cuts in or around the eye:

First-aid when foreign particles enter the eye:

First-aid for chemical splashes:

First-aid for physical trauma to the eye:

Online Resources

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

American Academy of Ophthalmology

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Eye Institute (NEI)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Prevent Blindness America

US Department of Heath and Human Services