March is Workplace Eye Wellness and Eye Donor Awareness Month
March is workplace eye wellness month; we are reminded and we are to remind our patients of the importance of Eye Protection in the workplace and in some sports. Eye protection is the main concern that we have to think about and prioritize every day. The main reason is that 90% of eye injuries can be avoided by wearing appropriate protective eyewear.
Our eyes unsurprisingly protect themselves against a wide range of dangers due to the natural evolution of the human species. The eyes are contained inside a bony cavity that continues to the forehead and the brow, protruding beyond the eyeballs and ensuring strong protection from possible chocks. The eyelids, the eyelashes, the reflex of blinking, even the tear film, and the Iris are all protective barriers that are innate and function in a continuous and reflex way to protect us from a variety of nuisances and threats. But natural human apparatuses alone cannot prevent and protect from all injuries. Therefore extra vigilance is required by using proper eye protection.
Despite the awareness about the risks of injuries, and despite all protection against injuries, ocular trauma remains a significant cause of preventable monocular and binocular blindness globally. Eye injuries are classified based on the structures affected, the cause or mechanism for the injury, and the setting in which the injury occurred, like sports and recreational, occupational, or during combat.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Sports and recreational eye injuries range from minor to severe vision-threatening injuries like retinal detachment and internal bleeding. Basketball, baseball, and air/paintball guns accounted for almost half of all emergency room visits. Eye injuries are also caused by fireworks during festivals, as well as solar eclipses causing retinopathies. Eye care providers continuously remind the public that sport-related eye injuries are avoidable, by wearing protective eyewear or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses that meet the requirements set by the Food and Drug Administration.
During combats, injuries are caused by chemical agents and explosives. Face masks protect against chemical agents and face shields are becoming more and more reliable and protective in minefields.
Occupational or work-related eye injuries include foreign bodies, cataracts caused by exposure to infra-red radiation among foundry workers and due to welding and laser engraving and cutting. Laser and welding shields, as well as protective masks, provide an excellent job in preventing work-related injuries.
Protective eyewear can weaken over time and may no longer provide adequate protection. Therefore, they should be immediately replaced when signs of cracking or yellowing appear.