Eye injuries are unpredictable and can happen to anyone. That is why regular eye checkups are important for every individual. About eye injuries, there’s no safe space where you cannot get hurt. Whether it is out in the open or your safe space called home, your eyes are vulnerable. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, about 125,000 eye injuries occur at home each year.
In this blog, let us take a look at the common household hazards that can lead to eye injuries. Moreover, you can also find prevention tips.
Household Cleaning Supplies
One of the major causes of eye injuries at home are cleaning agents, detergents, and chemicals. Accidental splashes can hurt the eye and cause burns, irritation, and even permanent damage. Some common culprits include:
- Bleach and Ammonia: They are harsh chemicals that burn the eye when they come in contact.
- Aerosol sprays: These sprays float in the air when sprayed and have the ability to irritate the eyes.
How can eye injury be prevented from household cleaning supplies?
When you spend time getting your hands on these chemicals or sprays, make sure you wear active eyewear. They prevent the chemicals from coming in contact with your eyes. Moreover, you should keep them out of reach of children.
DIY and Home Improvement Tools
DIY and home improvement tools are often referred to as drilling, sawing, hammering and other machines. These types of equipment can be very dangerous for your eyes (or your overall self). Flying debris, dust, and sharp objects can cause a lot more damage to your eyes, like corneal abrasions or penetrating eye wounds.
- Power tools: Equipment like drills and saws can be responsible for sending small particles in the air.
- Paints and adhesives: Life is not like the movies where splashing paints is fun. In fact, paints or glue can be very irritating to the eye and can damage the eye’s surface.
How can eye injury be prevented by Improvement Tools?
Wear safety goggles while working with tools or engaging in DIY projects. Ensure that tools are well-maintained and used as directed.
Cooking-Related Injuries
We do not need any explanation to understand how the kitchen and its elements. Well, the entire kitchen is filled with things that can harm your eyes in the worst possible way. Starting with knives, oil, spices, boiling water, and so much more can harm your eyes.
- Oil splashes: One needs to be very careful while cooking with oil in the kitchen. Hot oil splashes can injure your eye.
- Steam burns: The steam from the pressure cookers or boiling water is equally harmful to your eyes.
How can eye injury be prevented by Cooking-Related injuries?
Caution! Just be cautious using and handling anything and everything while you are in the kitchen. Whether it is on the cooktop or with spices, if you are cautious, there will be less chance of getting injured.
Yard Work and Gardening
When you say household, it does not only mean indoors. Outdoors, like trimming hedges, mowing the lawn and more, are counted. Small twigs, dirt, or even grass can scratch your cornea, causing abrasions or infections.
- Lawnmowers and trimmers: These machines can be very fast, uprooting the grass and throwing the particles in the air. Therefore, it comes in contact with the eyes.
- Pesticides and fertilisers: Just like the spices in the kitchen or the paints and glue, pesticides/fertilisers can be harmful to your eyes as well.
How can eye injury be prevented by Yard work and Gardening?
Always wear protective glasses when performing yard work. Avoid rubbing your eyes while working outdoors, especially if you are handling chemicals.
Children’s Toys and Activities
Though children’s toys are made very carefully, there are a few that have sharp edges and can cause eye injuries. For instance, darts, BB guns, projectile-based toys, and more. They can cause blunt trauma or penetrating injuries.
- Sharp-edged toys: Items that have sharp edges can poke the eye.
- Flying objects: Shooting guns, darts, or even badminton shettle can cause harm to your eye.
How can eye injury be prevented by Children’s toys?
Make sure you’re there to supervise the kids when they are playing with objects that can hurt the eye and maintain safety standards. Moreover, you can simply avoid having pointy objects in the first place.
Pet-Related Accidents
Pet scratches are very common in every household. Dogs and cats can be playful yet scratch your body – including your eye accidentally. As a result, the scratches can cause corneal abrasions that need immediate medical attention.
How can eye injury be prevented by Pet-related accidents?
Being careful while being around pets is the first step. Then, you should make sure that their nails are trimmed to minimise the risk.
How to Respond to an Eye Injury at Home?
In case your eye gets hurt at home, it is important to not panic but act promptly. Follow the steps mentioned below:
- Do not rub your eye as it can worsen the injury.
- Flush the eye with running water and rinse thoroughly in case of chemical splashes.
- Cover your eye if there is some object lodged into it, and do not try to remove it yourself.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Head to Dr Chameen Samarawickrama’s clinic and get professional help.
Conclusion
Eye injuries are very common in every household. All you have to do is be careful of things when at home. Understanding the risks and taking proactive steps can help protect your vision. Prioritising eye safety and seeking timely medical care for injuries are key to maintaining healthy eyes.
If you experience an eye injury or need professional advice, do not hesitate to contact Dr Chameen Samarawickrama for expert care and guidance.