Children Eye Safety

This week we will discuss Eye Safety for children. Eye injuries affect about 2.4 million people every year. Household products cause more than 125,000 serious eye injuries. Hospital emergency rooms treat nearly 23,000 victims of eye injuries from sports. Toys and home playground equipment cause more than 11,000 injuries to young eyes. Below are tips for preventing injury to your child's eyes.

Here are some tips for eye safety for children:

• Avoid sharp, broken toys and objects.

• Wear sport goggles and sunglasses.

• Do not play around lawn mowing and fireworks.

• Avoid BB, pellet, NERF®, and dart guns.

• Always carry pointed objects such as scissors, knives or pencils with the sharp end pointing down.

• Never shoot objects (including toys) or spray things at others, especially in the direction of the head.

• Read and follow directions before playing games or using equipment.

• Make sure your child wears safety goggles or glasses during sports and leisure activities.

• Make sure your child wears sunglasses that have 100% UV protection.

• Only buy toys meant for their age.

• Show them how to use their toys safely.

• Supervise them when they play.

• Look into the durability of lens material.

• Ask for warranty information on both the frames and the lenses.

About 90% of eye injuries can be prevented with protective eyewear.

An ophthalmologist, primary care doctor, school nurse or children's health service should examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor at first, as a serious injury is not always immediately obvious. Delaying medical attention can cause the damaged areas to worsen and could result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

While seeking medical help, care for the child as follows:

• DO NOT touch, rub or apply pressure to the eye.
• DO NOT try to remove any object stuck in the eye. For small debris, lift eye lid and ask child to blink rapidly to see if tears will flush out the particle. If not, close the eye and seek treatment.
• Do not apply ointment or medication to the eye.
• A cut or puncture wound should be gently covered.
• Only in the event of chemical exposure, flush with plenty of water.

Credits:

URMC / Encyclopedia / Preventing Eye Injuries in Children

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