Eye Hygiene and COVID-19 – What You Need To Know

Brief COVID-19 note:

Due to the timing of this blog (March, 2020) we would like to also remind readers that COVID-19 comes with many adverse health effects– including on the eyes. During this unprecedented time the AAO recommends discontinuing contact lens use in favor of wearing your back up glasses instead. While this is a good preventative measure ultimately social distancing is the best way to flatten the curve and reduce the spread of the illness. With that being said, one thing to consider is to order your at-home project supplies online and get them delivered right to your door.

Spring is upon us and that means it’s time for the dreaded spring cleaning, home improvements, and yard cleanup. At Kugler Vision, Omaha’s #1 LASIK provider, we want to ensure that as you are checking these tasks off your list you are using the proper eye safety equipment to do so. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), nearly half of all serious eye injuries occur at home.

As we mentioned, the most common eye injuries occur during tasks such as:

Cleaning – Bleach, often found in household cleaning products causes thousands of eye injuries each year. If you doget bleach in your eye, take it seriously.

Home Improvement Projects – Many home improvement projects entail sharp or heavy hand and power tools that, let’s be honest, most of us don’t use regularly. These devices can project and propel discarded material, screws, nails, metal shavings, wood chips, etc. capable of causing serious injury to the eyes and face.

Yard Work – Flying debris from lawn mowers, trimmers, weed eaters, shovels and other yard cleanup tools can be dangerous and lead to outdoor eye injuries.

If you experience an eye injury of any kind while at home it’s important to wash your hands, take out your contacts or remove your glasses, rinse the eye(s) with warm water and then proceed to the nearest medical facility to receive emergency care. Avoid rubbing your eyes or using eye drops until being looked at by a medical professional.

With these circumstances in mind, we’ve compiled a list of things you can do to keep your eyes safe as you prepare your home for the warmer weather. At the top of the list is to always wear protective eyewear. Studies show that taking this safety precaution could eliminate chances of an eye injury by up to 90 percent. Choosing which type of eyewear to use will depend on what you are doing.

It’s important to remember that your everyday contacts or glasses do not qualify as true eye protection. Regular eyeglasses or sunglasses are not certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for safety and can actually break or shatter if impacted which would result in additional eye injuries. When it comes to protective eyewear owning at least one ANSI approved pair is recommended. In most home project cases ANSI certified eyewear is more than enough.

There will be instances where accidents and injuries may occur in all areas of the home but taking the proper proactive safety measures could diminish the risk of them even more.

Consider these eye safety precautions while at home:

Read the labels of your cleaning solutions carefully to ensure you know the risks and safety measures to take in advance. It’s also important to know the first aid instructions if a situation occurs where your eyes are contaminated by these chemicals.

Before starting work on your lawn be sure to take a brief walk through to ensure there aren’t any loose twigs, rocks, or other debris that could be hazardous or become airborne if hit with a lawn mower or other yard tool.

Keep all tools and equipment in good condition and repair immediately if necessary. Using broken or damaged tools can result in an eye injury—one that could have been avoided.

When cleaning or spraying weeds outside be sure the nozzles are always facing away from you.

Another area that can be hazardous in the home is the kitchen. Hot appliances and sharp knives—these are just a couple of the the dangers located in the kitchen that could effect the eyes. In addition to the hot surfaces and sharp utensils there is also splattering grease, boiling water, and also foods that can burn and irritate the eyes if hands are not washed properly after handling them.

Eye hazards can be found all over the home but being proactive and setting an example for your children by using protective and certified eyewear is a great way to avoid eye injuries while at home.