Be Prepared in Case of an Emergency

An eye injury can happen in an instant and knowing how to respond quickly could mean the difference between saving your sight and losing it permanently.

90% of eye injuries are preventable but the other 10% of the time it’s important to be prepared! Here are 3 easy steps to stay prepared:

1. Wear eye protection for all hazardous activities and sports—at school, at home and on the job.
2. Stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eyewash before an eye injury happens.
3. DO NOT assume that any eye injury is harmless. When in doubt, see a doctor immediately!

If you get something in your eye, like a wood chip while working at home or a piece of grass while mowing the lawn, follow these steps to make sure you keep your eyes safe:

1. DO NOT rub the eye!
2. Try to let tears wash the speck out or use eyewash.
3. Try lifting the upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid.
4. If the speck does not wash out, keep the eye closed, bandage it lightly, and see a doctor.

For more information on what to do if you get chemicals in your eyes or if your eye or eyelid is cut or punctured, visit http://texas.preventblindness.org/first-aid-eye-emergencies.

The best way to make sure you don’t put your vision at risk is to play it safe and always remember to wear the right safety eyewear while playing contact sports and working with power tools. You could lose your vision in an instant, so keep it from harm’s way!