Each summer, thousands of children suffer eye injuries from fireworks, sports and recreational activities. But vision experts at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center say serious injury can be prevented with proper precautions and use of safety eyewear.

“The most common place to suffer an eye injury is in the home. Yard and garden injuries are very common,” said Michael Siatkowski, M.D., a pediatric ophthalmologist with OU Children’s Physicians and the Dean McGee Eye Institute.

About 25 percent of all eye injuries occur in children, and 15 percent of all injuries occur during sporting events.

SPORTS INJURIES

Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat nearly 40,000 victims of sports eye injuries. These injuries occur most frequently during participation in baseball, basketball and racquet sports.

“Almost all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented with the proper protection and that starts by wearing the proper safety gear,” Siatkowski. “Regular glasses and sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection.”

For racquet sports and basketball, that means safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses. Batting helmets with polycarbonate face shields should be used for youth baseball.  And helmets and face shields should also be work when playing hockey.

FIREWORKS

Fireworks can also cause significant and potentially blinding eye injuries. They should be handled with extreme care and only by adults, Siatkowski said. Read package directions and never point a Roman Candle or other firework at another person. Sparklers and firecrackers, which burn at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, also are dangerous and can cause blinding injury. 

The best bet when it comes to fireworks is to stick with viewing displays handled by professionals.  Many cities and local communities host these displays.

OTHER EYE PROTECTION TIPS

• Wear protective eyewear when using lawnmowers, as debris may be projected through the air.
• Wash your hands after using household chemicals. Do not mix cleaning agents around your child.
• Household products cause more than 32,000 serious eye injuries each year.  Keep paints, pesticides and fertilizers properly stored in a secure area.
• Turn spray nozzles away from your face and the faces of others.
• Protect your eyes from the sun with a wind-brimmed hat or by wearing ultraviolet (UV)-protective sunglasses.
• Never look directly at the sun (especially during an eclipse).
• Computer games and social media are popular summer activitiess for many children and teens, but prolonged computer screen viewing can cause eye strain. Position the monitor an arm’s length away and take periodic breaks to avoid eye fatigue.

INJURIES

If an eye injury occurs, seek medical attention immediately, Siatkowski said. Don’t manipulate the eye or place drops of medicine in. Cover the eye with gauze or a paper cup if there’s concern that the globe has been scratched or penetrated and head to the nearest emergency room.


In Attendance


Beverly Funderburk, Ph.D.
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect

Michael Siatkowski, M.D.
OU Children’s Physicians
Dean McGee Eye Institute

Greg Dupuis, M.D.
OU Children’s Physicians
The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center

Patti Landers, Ph.D.
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
OU College of Allied Health