Categories: Eye Care

Eye Safety Precautions to Observe While Tackling DIY Projects

Home improvement shows on TV can make DIY projects seem a lot easier—and safer—than they really are. Don’t be fooled—DIY renovation projects, and even simple house chores, can still be risky, especially when it comes to your eye health. Today, Vienna Eyecare Center, a top optometrist in the state, shares some tips on how to prevent housework-related eye injuries below.

Wear Eye Protection

The simplest way of avoiding an eye injury when doing a task that could be hazardous to your eyes is to wear eye safety protection. Just make sure the protective eyewear you purchase is approved by the American National Standards Institute.

When Should You Wear Eye Protection?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma recommend wearing protective eyewear every time you do household work that could potentially cause an eye injury. In particular, you need to wear protective eyewear whenever you do yard work, use power tools or work with chemicals.

Preventing Eye Injuries

Apart from wearing eye protection, you can observe the following precautions:

In the house – Label chemicals properly and avoid mixing them. The resulting fumes might cause severe eye irritation. If you’re using commercial cleaners, make sure to point the spray nozzles away from you.
In the kitchen – Use a grease shield while cooking to prevent splattering grease from reaching your eyes.
In the garage – Never use damaged tools.
In the yard – Before mowing your lawn, check the area for any debris that might become a projectile.

What to Do in Case of Injury

If an object becomes lodged in your eye while doing household work, consult an eye doctor right away.

Looking for experienced doctors in your area? Vienna Eyecare Center offers a wide range of professional eye care services. To schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained optometrists, call us at (703) 938-7633 or leave us a message here. We serve patients in Fairfax, VA, and the surrounding areas.

Dr. Richard Snively