October is Eye Injury Prevention Month. According to Discovery Eye Foundation, “You may be surprised to learn that more than 1 million people suffer an eye injury every year in the United States. You may be even more surprised to learn that most of these eye injuries happen at home and can be avoided.

Unfortunately, only about three out of ten people wear protective eyewear during home projects that can cause an injury to their eyes. Wearing protective eye wear will reduce your risk for eye injury by 90 percent! The AAO urges every household to have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear. (“ANSI-approved” means the protective eyewear is made to meet safety standards of the American National Standards Institute.)”

According to the fifth-annual Eye Injury Snapshot conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma found that:

• “Most people believe that eye injuries are most common on the job — especially in factories and on construction sites. But in fact, nearly half of all eye injuries occurred in the home.
• Home repairs, yard work, cleaning, and cooking caused more than 40 percent of eye injuries. More than a third of those injuries in the home happened in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room.
• More than 40 percent of eye injuries every year are related to sports or recreational activities.
• More than 78 percent of people were not wearing eyewear at the time of injury. Only 5.3 percent of those who were wearing eyewear.”

Most injuries could have been prevented by wearing protective eyewear.

Small business owners and independent contractors, you are not immune. How often do you work a “side job” without the proper eye protection? Whether you work for a large manufacturing company or are an independent business owner, you are subject to injury. Are you willing to take a risk as it could mean the loss of work, wages, and career with no safety net to ensure your financial future?

Eye injuries are not limited to the workplace. Think about the things you do around the house to get ready for winter. Flying debris or other small particles can be created from outside jobs such as trimming shrubs, raking leaves, mowing the lawn and cleaning up after a windstorm. These particles can get into your eyes and have the potential to scratch or damage your eye.  Put on protective eyewear before you use a lawnmower, power trimmer or edger and be sure to check for rocks and stones when mowing as they can become dangerous projectiles as they shoot from these machines.

Closing swimming pools, cleaning windows and gutters, as well as other projects around the house that involve the use of chemicals can lead to injury. Splashing chemicals can burn your eyes causing permanent damage. When using household chemicals, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area and keep the spray nozzle pointed away from you. Read the labels of chemicals and cleaners carefully, and do not mix products.

At Bissell Eye Care, we have many options for safety and sports eyewear available both our Bakerstown and Natrona Heights locations. If you would like to invest in your eye health, consider purchasing a reliable pair of safety glasses! As always, UV Protection is also important for optimum ocular health. Ensuring that the exposure of the eye to harmful UV radiation is as limited as possible is equally as important as wearing protective glasses during risky activities. Sunglasses may be covered under your insurance care provider (especially if they are dispensed with your current prescription).

If you have any questions or concerns regarding eye safety or would like to schedule an appointment for an eye examination, our Bakerstown office at 724-443-6767 or the Natrona Heights office at 724-226-0444.

About Bissell Eye Care: John D. Bissell, OD owns and operates Bissell Eye Care servicing Northern Pittsburgh and Alle-Kiski Valley regions. With two locations to treat patients, we offer evening and Saturday appointments. Bissell Eye Care provides comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family beginning as early as 6 months, ocular disease detection and treatment, eyeglasses, sunglasses, activewear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. We accept most types of vision and health insurance plans. For more information, visit bisselleyecare.com or call our Bakerstown Office at 724-443-6767 or Natrona Heights office at 724-226-0444.