Spring has finally sprung, which means one thing. No, not spring cleaning. It means that countless individuals will be returning to the sports and hobbies they love. And while this may seem like great news, the truth is that it puts you at risk of eye injuries. Sure, everyone has accidents now and then that cannot be prevented, but for the most part, when you are involved in a high-impact situation such as sports or a physically-intensive job, protective goggles are one of the easiest steps for preventing 90% of common eye injuries.
Eye injuries can occur during any activity. One of the highest causes of eye injury is sports especially in children. But eye injuries can occur at home doing basic repairs, yard work, cooking, cleaning, working in the garage or at work, especially construction jobs. At work, know the eye safety dangers and eliminate them prior to working, especially welding or flying objects, hammering metal on metal or radiation. UV protection is also important during sports like snow or water skiing. Bystanders, especially children, should also wear eye protection or leave the area.
Each and every year, tens of thousands of people suffer sports or recreation related eye injuries. Fortunately, most of these eye injuries are preventable. In fact, 90% of serious eye injuries are preventable! Only 35% of people say they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance; even fewer do so while playing sports. In fact, among all eye injuries reported, more than 78% of people were not wearing any sort of eyewear at the time of injury..
It's important to see an optometrist when any eye injury occurs, even if its minor. Delaying medical care can lead to vision loss or blindness.