Home Eye Safety Month

October is “Home Eye Safety Month.” We take this time to reevaluate our daily practices and correct any bad habits that may put our vision at risk. Awareness is the first step to maintaining safe and healthy eyes.

We usually feel safe in our homes, but unfortunately, we may get careless and risk accidents. Awareness keeps our eyes and bodies safer. According to Prevent Blindness, each year household chemicals and supplies cause over 125,000 eye injuries. As much as 90% of these accidents could be prevented through common-sense precautions.

Try these eye safety tips to make your home safer for your entire family.

Home Eye Safety Tips For Eye Safety Month and Beyond

Eye Safety Month is an excellent opportunity to evaluate safety habits in every area of the home. The following eye safety tips focus on accident prevention in areas that require special attention.

Protecting Your Eyes During Yard and Garden Work

Flying debris, dust, projectiles and chemicals are among the risks your eyes may encounter in your yard and garden. A little awareness prevents most accidents and prepares you to act promptly in the case of an emergency.

Eye Safety Tips for the Garden and Yard

• Remove debris like branches and stones before mowing your lawn to minimize the risk of flying particles.
• Keep garden chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides, etc., in their container and securely stored out of reach of children. Avoid storing them overhear where you might spill them on yourself.
• Maintain garden equipment, so there is less risk of accidents.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles while landscaping or gardening.

Keeping Your Eyes Safe In Your Garage or Woodshop

DIYers need to take special precautions to protect their eyes. The specifics depend on the type of work you do. For example, a metal worker faces different risks than a woodworker.

General Tips to Improve Eye Safety in Home Workshops
• Maintain all equipment to reduce risks.
• Wear protective eyewear while working.
• Keep the area well ventilated and be aware of breezes and air flow.
• Securely store paints, varnishes and other chemicals in a safe place but not overhead.
• Read and follow instructions for any materials and equipment.
• Be careful when working with batteries.

Protecting Your Eyes During Cleaning and Housework

Many cleaning supplies contain hazardous chemicals that may damage your eyes or even potentially blind you. Always avoid splashing cleaning solutions and other household solutions in your eyes.

Keeping Your Eyes Safe During Housework

• Avoid mixing cleaning solutions together.
• Consider wearing safety glasses or goggles while working with chemicals.
• Read labels and follow instructions.
• Be careful not to direct spray bottles towards you and be aware of any breeze.
• Clean in well-ventilated areas.

Eye Safety Tips While Cooking and in the Kitchen

When people think of eye safety hazards, the kitchen usually is not among the first to come to mind. However, home eye safety is just as important in the kitchen as in any other room.

Tips in the Kitchen

• Be careful with hot oils or fats, keep face well away in case the oil splashes.
• Carry shears and knives carefully and be aware of surroundings.
• Keep faces ways from pans while cooking chilies. Some people even prefer to wear goggles while preparing spicy foods.
• Avoid touching your eyes after handling chilies, onions, or other foods with strong residues.

Eye Safety Tips at Home for Children

Childhood is a great time to learn safe habits. For very young children, the most significant risks come for toys that are not age-appropriate. Awareness sets your child up for a lifetime of healthy vision.

Eye Safety Tips for the Playroom and Your Child’s Bedroom

• Keep any hazardous materials in closed containers, stored out of reach of children.
• Train your children in the importance of eye safety.
• Pay attention to your children’s toys. Teach them not to snap rubber or stretchy toys that may snap their eyes, be aware of any toys that can be used as projectiles such as toy guns and slingshots. Choose durably made toys that are not likely to shatter.
• Monitor video game and computer time as too much may harm young eyes. Teach your children to take frequent breaks from digital entertainment, especially immersive games with flashing and strobing effects.

Eye Safety at the Computer or Your Home Office

Computers and digital screens are a big part of daily life. Between phones, tablets, television sets, and computer monitors many spend much of the day staring at screens.

Remember to take frequent breaks from staring at monitors. The 20-20-20 rule offers guidance for eye health and safety. For every 20 minutes at the computer, spend 20 seconds looking at a something else such as a poster, or non-digital item. Also, remember to blink frequently to avoid dry eye.

Other Computer Eye Safety Tips

• Limit time spent playing video games involving strobing effects. Since video games are immersive, so many people tend to lose track of time playing.
• Maintain an ergonomically sound computer station to minimize neck and eye strain. This also helps prevent headaches.
• Light your room well.
• Take frequent breaks from looking at digital screens.

Make sure to ask our optical department about specialty lenses or additional eyecare products for protecting your eyes from your LED displays.

What to Do if You Get Something in your Eye

Prevention is always the best action. However, even when you are super careful, accidents can happen. If chemicals or debris get in your eye, avoid rubbing them. Flush your eye with clean water for 15 minutes. Be sure to call your eye doctor’s office for guidance in an emergency or to schedule an appointment. If the office is closed, and it is an emergency visit your local critical care center or emergency room.

Piedmont Eye Care Associates have been keeping Charlotte area resident’s eyes healthy since 2004. Regular eye exams are essential for a lifetime of healthy eyes. Schedule an appointment with an experienced eye care provider at either our Blakeney or Wesley Chapel optometrist offices and give your vision the level of care and attention it deserves.