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Preventing Eye Injuries at Home

Where do you think most eye injuries occur? At construction sites? Recreational sports? The answer is in your own home. Nearly half of all eye injuries each year occur in and around the home. What’s more, home-based eye injuries are on the rise. When an ophthalmologist in the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan or Brooklyn, or anywhere in New York treats a patient with an eye injury, it’s likely someone who was cooking in their kitchen, working in the garden, or doing some other household chore.

Because October is National Eye Injury Prevention Month, we want to highlight the importance of identifying common eye injury risks around the home and list some ways to prevent eye trauma.

Eye Injury Risks

Eye injury risks can be anywhere in the home, yard, or garage. Some may seem obvious, but other activities may not seem like they pose a threat to your eyes. Even if you’re aware of possible risks for an eye injury, that doesn’t mean you’re safe. The easiest way to avoid eye injuries is to wear protective eyewear. The American Academy of Ophthalmology® (AAO) estimates that 90% of all household eye injuries could be avoided if people protected their eyes.

Some common eye injury risks include:

Around the house

  • Hot grease or oil splattering while cooking
  • Opening champagne bottles
  • Screws or nails being drilled or hammered into hard surfaces or walls
  • Inadvertently contacting the eye with a curling iron or other hot objects used around the eyes

In the yard

  • Objects kicked up while mowing the lawn
  • Using a power trimmer or edger

In the garage or workshop

  • Power tools
  • Splashing chemicals or solvents
  • Woodworking, either with a manual or power saw
  • Stretching bungee cords to secure items

Besides wearing protective eyewear, there are a number of other precautions you can take to minimize the risk of eye injuries. They include cushioning sharp corners of furniture or cupboards if you have young children, checking the lawn for debris before mowing, making sure tools are sharp and in good condition, and using grease shields to protect eyes from spattering. Other information about preventing eye injuries can be found on the AAO website.

Accidents still happen, of course, and it’s important to have an injured eye treated by an eye doctor, even if you don’t believe the injury is serious. Maintaining the health of your eyes is vital, whether or not you’ve sustained an injury. At New York Ophthalmology, we offer primary vision care at our 5 locations in NYC in Jamaica, Jackson Heights, the Bronx, Washington Heights, and Brooklyn. You can request an appointment using the online form or by calling us at 866-599-8774.

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