6 ways to avoid eye injuries

Experts say that at least 90 per cent of eye injuries can be avoided. Follow these guidelines to minimize your risk:

• At work, for example, about 70 per cent of eye injuries are caused by flying or falling objects, or sparks — and more than one in ten will cause temporary or permanent loss of vision.
• But a shocking three-fifths of people injured are either not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident, or wearing the wrong type.
• Many eye accidents occur in the "safe" home environment where people often take unnecessary risks, like the welder who uses a mask at work but doesn't put one on when working on his car.
• Common causes of eye injury include things like do-it-yourself projects, gardening, work, and sport or traffic accidents.
• You can't always tell how much damage has been done, so you should always have an injured eye examined by a doctor even if the injury seems trivial to you.

1. If eye protection is recommended for an activity, be sure to wear it. Ordinary glasses don't always give adequate protection — and hard lenses can also cause severe eye injuries if they shatter on impact.
2. Always follow your employer's safety recommendations if your work involves any kind of risk to your eyes.
3. Use safety goggles for home do-it-yourself projects, and make sure to keep tools in good condition.
4. If you play sports regularly, especially racquet sports such as squash, ask your optician about polycarbonate sports glasses or goggles (this is the material used in plastic riot shields and military aircraft canopies — it can withstand the force of a .22 calibre bullet).
5. Follow the safety instructions on power tools to the letter, and handle all chemicals — including household cleaning products — with care.
6. Carefully inspect your lawn for stones, gravel, loose bits of wood and other debris before mowing.