Did you know that almost half of eye injuries do not occur in workplaces or industrial areas, but at home? Or that 90 percent of those accidents could have been prevented with proper protection? That is why it is so important to take care of yourself to prevent damage that can have serious consequences for the eyes and even cause loss of vision.
Sometimes it’s the smallest accidents that cause the most damage, and many times they happen at home , during incidents that could have been prevented. Stubbing your toe on the leg of some furniture, slipping in the bathtub and burning yourself in the kitchen are just a few examples from a list that could be very long and from which the eyes are not exempt.
According to data from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society for Ocular Trauma, taken from a nationwide survey in the United States, more than 40 percent of eye injuries were caused while people were doing chores around the home, the garden and kitchen. Doing what, for example? Well, the simplest, daily and necessary occupations, such as frying food or cleaning with chlorine.
The list could be long and varied, here we will only tell you some of the common situations that hide risks that usually go unnoticed, but that can be reduced with appropriate care:
- If you are using very hot oil for frying, it only takes a few scalding droplets splashing on your face and getting into one of your eyes to seriously affect it.
- If you’re cleaning something with irritating chemicals —like bleach, oven cleaner, thinners, or pool cleaners—and it gets in your eyes, it can also be very dangerous.
- If you’re opening a bottle of sparkling wine, cider, or champagne and the cork flies out, it can be like a projectile if it hits either of your eyes.
- If when cutting the grass in the garden or pruning the plants loose branches or stones jump, they are also like projectiles that can hurt your eyes.
- If you work in the garage with tools that produce fragments or dust particles (saws, sanders or drills), some of them can fly off and injure your eyes.
- If you hit your eyes when you fall or trip over furniture or rugs, it is of course dangerous.
The good news is that all this can be avoided by using the correct protection , which, in general, consists of using special glasses according to each activity . For example, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends wearing protective glasses when doing home repairs, when using chemical cleaning products, and even when children prepare school projects in which they come into contact with glues and paints that could accidentally get into the eye. by rubbing his face with dirty hands.
Other care that can help you and your family are:
- Read the labels on cleaners and chemicals to find out how to use them properly . Wear protective glasses and gloves when applying them and do not mix products, to avoid reactions that can also be dangerous for your skin and lungs.
- Secure rugs to prevent falls.
- Be careful with pointed objects (such as knives and scissors), as well as pointed ends of furniture, especially if there are children and the elderly at home.
- Before mowing the lawn, remove stones or any type of garbage that can jump, becoming a projectile.
- When using a spray bottle, make sure the nozzle is pointing away from you.
- Be careful when frying. If you don’t have a grease guard to use over the skillet, wear safety glasses while doing so.
- At parties, avoid using fireworks at home. Better enjoy the fireworks celebration of your municipality.
It’s not that hard, is it? A good idea is to have glasses in all the rooms where you may need them, so you will always have them at hand. Also, keep in mind that sometimes it is not enough for the person doing the activity to protect themselves, but it is also necessary for everyone around them to do so.
Children often watch their parents doing home repairs or other tasks, putting themselves in danger of being injured as well. In those cases, have them keep a good distance or wear protective glasses as well.
Explain to other members of your family the risks they are running and encourage them to take care of their eyes whenever necessary, so that everyone can continue to enjoy their activities safely.
