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October is Eye Injury Prevention Month, which is an excellent time to remind patients about accident prevention and safety eyewear. You can take this opportunity to educate patients on potential risks and protective measures to set them up for optimal eye health year-round.

Workplace Eye Injuries

Eye injuries are not only painful and visually debilitating but also costly. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workplace eye injuries cost businesses approximately $300 million a year.

Your patients may not be aware that their job should entail safety eyewear. Be sure to discuss potential workplace hazards:

• Projectiles, including small particles such as dust, wood, metal, concrete and paint. Higher-risk occupations include landscaping, construction, auto repair and plumbing.
• Chemical exposure to bleach, ammonia, lye and other agents. People working in janitorial, construction, medical or scientific professions are at higher risk for exposure.
• Radiation exposure to X-rays, ultraviolet rays, lasers, welding processes and electrical sparks. Higher-risk occupations include those in nuclear medicine, dental, radiology and aviation.
• Infections from exposure to pathogens via direct contact, bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Healthcare workers or laboratory personnel are at high risk.

Eye Safety at Home

Many people believe they are at higher risk for eye injuries in the workplace. However, the Eye Injury Snapshot survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma found that nearly 50 percent of eye injuries occur at home.

Common sources of household eye injuries include:

• Yard work, such as lawn mowing (which can project small rocks or sticks from underneath the mower), hedge trimmers and shoveling.
• Home improvement, such as using power tools, sanding and sawing, or using potential projectiles such as nails and screws.
• Household products such as detergents, pesticides, cleaning solvents and car batteries. Patients should pay special attention to highly alkali chemicals (drain cleaners, oven cleaners, ammonia-based window cleaners and scouring powders) and highly acidic chemicals (rust removers, toilet bowl cleaners, bleaching solutions and tile/grout cleaners).
• Cooking foods that may splatter hot oil or hot liquids.
• Using hot objects like curling irons near the face.
• Loose rugs, flooring or railing that may cause falls or slips.
• Sports activities such as basketball and airsoft sports can result in trauma to the eye or orbit.
• Ultraviolet exposure, including tanning beds and sunlight reflecting off pavement or water.

Provide Guidance on Proper Safety Eyewear

When reviewing eye health and safety with patients, remember to discuss needs at home, recreationally and in the workplace. In general, all safety eyewear should meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, with a designation of ANSI Z87.1.

ANSI Z87.1 standards do not cover other hazards like bloodborne pathogens, X-rays, high-energy particulate radiation, microwaves, radio-frequency radiation, lasers, masers and recreation. For workplace safety eyewear, OSHA provides further guidance on the selection of proper face and eye protection for various industries. ASTM International sets safety standards for sports eyewear, which are specific to a variety of sports.

R&D Optical Lab carries occupational eyewear and prescription safety glasses for a wide range of professions, including laboratory personnel, mechanics, pilots, professional athletes and more. R and D Optical Lab offers safety frames from Hudson, Titmus, Art Craft Workforce, ArmoRx and Bolle and On-Guard.  Prescribe safety eyewear as a second pair to encourage optical sales and build patient loyalty by offering specialized eyewear they won’t find elsewhere. Please visit our website RandDOptical.com or call us at 513-273-4034 to find out about safety eyewear and other optical products. For more tips and our latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or LinkedIn!