Keep Your Eyes Safe: Prevent All Types of Eye Injuries

What Are Some Common Types of Eye Injuries

There are many types of eye injuries that you might not know about!

Eye Penetration Injuries

Eye penetration injuries happen when sharp objects, like scissors, knives, screwdrivers, or other tools, go into your eye. These objects can cause terrible damage. It's essential to be cautious when using sharp objects. You’ll also want to ensure that if people use sharp objects around you, they are handling them safely. These injuries can also occur in car crashes and other accidents. Your eyes can also get penetrated and damaged by objects that aren’t sharp since eyes are very delicate. Eye penetration injuries always require immediate medical attention to avoid permanent damage. 

Blunt Trauma

Blunt trauma happens when something hits your eye. This could be getting hit by a ball while playing sports, a car accident, or even falling in your eye. Essentially if something that isn’t sharp hits your eye and causes injury or eye pain, it can be considered blunt trauma. When your eye gets hit like this, it can cause the bones around your eye to break, the retina to come loose, give you a black eye, and maybe even make you lose your vision. Getting hit in the eye by something, especially if it's moving fast, is a severe issue.

Foreign Object Injuries

Dirt, dust, wood shavings, or pieces of metal can quickly get into your eyes if you're not careful. If these things get into your eyes, they can be very uncomfortable. Your eyes might also become red, watery, or you might get scratches on your cornea. These cornea scratches can be painful and might need an eye doctor's attention, depending on how nasty the corneal abrasions are.

Chemical Burns

You can suffer from intense eye burns if your eyes are exposed to chemicals at home or work. Chemicals can come from spray bottles, from touching your eyes after a chemical, or if a chemical splashes around. How bad your eye gets hurt and how much it hurts depends on the kind of chemical and how strong it is. If you ever get chemicals in your eyes, washing them out immediately with water is essential.

How to Prevent Eye Injuries

You can protect your eyes in many ways.

Get Medical Attention Quickly

Do not rub your eyes if they get hurt. You will only make the issue worse. Gently rinse your eyes with clean water and see an eye doctor to get evaluated and treated. 

Use Tools Correctly

Tools are a common cause of horrible eye injuries. Drills, saws, and sanders can produce debris; if that debris gets into your eyes, it can hurt them a lot. Make sure to wear special glasses to protect your eyes. These glasses must be approved for safety and cover your eyes thoroughly. You’ll also want to make sure that your tools are functioning correctly. And remember, it's also a good idea to read all the instructions carefully and have someone nearby who can help if something goes wrong.

Watch Out Around Chemicals

Whenever you're using cleaning supplies at home, chemicals for gardening, or solid chemicals for work, be sure to put on safety goggles. These unique goggles help keep your eyes safe from the chemicals. Also, make sure you’re working in a well-ventilated area. That way, you can lower the chances of getting hurt by chemicals. Read all instructions very carefully before handling harmful chemicals.

Be Safe When Playing Sports

If you play sports, wearing protective glasses that shield your eyes is wise. Sports like racquetball, basketball, and hockey have balls and pucks that move very fast. They also require a lot of physical contact. Wearing something to protect your eyes while playing these sports is a big deal. If you use glasses or contacts, taking care of your eyes while playing sports is even more crucial.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Even though we've already talked about protective eyewear, emphasizing its value is still important. Anytime you're doing something that might hurt your eyes, putting on protective eyewear is a must. Your eyes need to be protected! Using safety goggles, face shields, and even full-face respirators is essential. They keep you safe from debris, chemicals, and other dangers. Always wear them when doing things like woodworking, playing sports, or working with chemicals. If you need help with when to wear protective gear, it's always better to wear protective eyewear just to be safe.