Eye-Opening Information: How To Protect Your Eyes from Danger

Don't forget the simple things you need to do to protect your eyes. Things like bright sunshine, power mowers, fireworks, and pool chemicals can mean a real risk of eye injury.

Richard O'Brien, MD, is an emergency physician with the Moses Taylor Hospital in Pennsylvania. Medical writer, Star Lawrence, quotes him in Five Ways to Protect Your Eyes in Summer on WebMD, and has given these smart tips to start following now:

Wear goodsunglasses and a hat with a brim. People are getting used to protecting their skin from UVA and UVB rays with sunscreen. But your eyes need protection, too.

Toy sunglasses can do more harm than good. Toy shades just darken the eye and enlarge the pupils, allowing more damaging light to reach the inside of the eye. Choose a pair that is labeled '100 percent UV filtration.' It's also helpful to set a good example. Wear sunglasses yourself and your child will learn to copy you.

Wear eye protection when doing home projects. The person doing the activity and all those nearby should wear eye protection. This means professional quality goggles from a home supply store.

Protect your eyes during sports and games. In general, the bigger the ball, the less likely it is to cause an eye injury such as baseballs, softballs, golf balls, squash and hand balls etc. Adults need to be watchful and make children wear protective eyewear when they're involved in these activities.

Don't forget to protect your eyes during winter sports like skiing. The bright sun reflecting off the white snow can damage your eyes. Remember that any time you are in a high altitude the sun's UV rays are much stronger.

Watch out from chemicals. If pool water stings your eyes, get out, and rinse your eyes immediately with clean water, even if you have to buy a bottle. Don't wear contact lenses in lake or pond water. Infections can result from germs that stay under the lens. They would be likely to wash out if no contact was in place.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology tells us that fireworks hurt 8,500 people every year in the United States. More than 2,000 of these injuries are to the eye. About one-third of them lead to permanent eye damage. The best thing to do when it comes to fireworks is leave them to the professionals.

For more details, you can read the original article published on Take Control On Your health on Eye-Opening Information: How To Protect Your Eyes from Danger.

At 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore® we strive to keep you updated on how to take care of your eyes and suggest that you should get an eye exam done at least once a year to check on the health of your eyes. And if you’re looking for that perfect pair of sunglasses, check out our collection. We have a frame for every face and a price for any budget.