Watch Your Eyes!

August is Eye Injury Prevention Month as well as Children's Eye Health and Safety Month.
Prevent Blindness America has a great website with UV Learning Center chock full of helpful hints on ways to protect ourselves and our children from an everyday exposure that can lead to blindness later in life - the sun. We all should wear sunglasses - even kids, but make sure to buy impact resistant lenses that block UV-A and UV-B rays. Wearing a hat with a brim can cut exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV) by 50%.

UV exposure may lead to eye problems over time:

• cataracts
• macular degeneration
• pterygium
• corneal sunburn

Thousands of children under age 5 injure their eyes each year - causing permanent visual damages and even blindness. Common causes? Misuse of toys, falls, misuse of everyday items like forks and knives, contact with household chemicals. Little ones need close supervision and protection from hazards. They are learning about their world by exploring. It is up to the adults in their lives to anticipate things that could harm them!

Prevent Sports Injuries to eyes with proper eye protection. In the US alone, 40,000 suffer eye injuries each year while playing sports. Most of this can be prevented with proper eye gear. Sports-related eye injuries occur most frequently with baseball, basketball and racquet sports. Regular glasses do not provide protection. Today, sports goggles (lensed polycarbonate protectors) are fashion statements. No matter what your age or your game, look good but watch those eyes!

Thank you zanzibar for use of Hello Kitty!