Eye Safety Awareness Month

Eye Safety Awareness Month March

More than 3,000 eye injuries occur each day on job sites all over the U.S. 1 in 10 employees will miss work in order to recover. Out of the total amount of eye injuries 10 to 20 percent will lead to temporary or permanent vision loss. As much as 40% of work-related eye injuries happen in healthcare facilities, offices, laboratories and similar work environments. Eye care providers agree that proper eyewear protection could have lessened the severity of injuries by as much as 90%. 

Chemicals, radiation, flying objects or particles are the cause of most injuries involving eyes. Implementation of proper eyewear in most cases could prevent injuries entirely. 

Helpful tips of eye safety in the workplace 

• Eliminate most workplace hazards by using machine guards, work screens or other safety engineering controls 
• Wear the appropriate safety eyewear, even if not actively working in a potentially hazardous area. 
• If working in dust or foreign particles in the air, use safety goggles with side shields to protect against foreign objects from approaching your eyes.
• When working with chemicals always wear face shields or safety goggles to protect against splashes. 
• Radiation from sources like welding, fiber optics or lasers, must be protected against using specially designed safety goggles and helmets that are made for each task specifically. 
• Keep safety eyewear wear up to date and replace it when necessary or recommended by the manufacturer. 

These injuries are not only painful, but they can cause loss of work and vision loss. Something as easy and simple as putting on the correct eye wear can prevent these serious injuries in the workplace.

If you do experience an eye injury, contact your eye doctor as soon as possible, or seek emergency services when necessary. 

Author

Domenico Rinaldi, OD Dr. Rinaldi received a BA in Biology from Whittier College and went on to receive a doctorate in Optometry from the Southern California College of Optometry. Dr. Rinaldi completed his rotations at Ocular disease intense sites, including several Local Veteran Hospitals (LA ambulatory and Long beach VAs), and has worked with Ophthalmology co-managements helping to diagnose Retinal detachments, Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-Related Macular Degeneration, his studies and interest are in ocular health and vision preservation. Dr. Rinaldi strives to make every patient's experience fantastic. "Patient satisfaction and education is the most important aspect of my office visits, I believe it is important that my patients understand how their eyes function and walk away feeling empowered to protect the health/clarity of their vision."