Several reasons why you should wear eye protection while doing yard work.
Do you wear eye protection while doing yard work such as mowing or using the weed eater?
Here’s why you should.
About 2.5 million eye injuries occur each year in the United States. Nearly half of these accidents occur in and around the home. The garden is a common place for injuries to occur. Mowing the lawn, using a line trimmer on weeds, or trimming branches or shrubs can be dangerous without protective eyewear.
The good news is that most injuries can be prevented. That's why the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that every household have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear for use during household projects, such as gardening, that put your eyes at risk. Nearly half of the 2.5 million yearly eye injuries occur during common household chores.
There are a few main safety risks that threaten your eyesight while mowing.
Debris from the mower or line trimmer – Sharp objects like plastic toys, rocks, metal garden spikes, or loose tree branches can be launched from the blades of the mower and can pierce your eyes at high speeds. Even small amounts of debris, like dirt and sand, can scratch your corneas and subject you to major vision impairment.
UV rays- Harmful light from the sun can damage your eyes if they are exposed for long periods of time. A good pair of sunglasses can double as eye protection during yard work.
Pesticides and fertilizers – Safety goggles can prevent your eyes from being exposed to pesticides and fertilizers that might be dispersed into the air by your mower. Both of these can have serious adverse effects on your eyesight.
How To Protect Your Eyes While Doing Yard Work
There are several things you can do to prevent injuring yourself when gardening.
First, check your yard for debris prior to mowing to prevent the chance of debris injuring your eyes.
Next, turn off your lawn equipment when an unprotected bystander approaches you. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 75 people each year are killed in garden equipment-related accidents, with 1 in 5 being a child.
Similar to operating a lawnmower, when using a weed eater, wear safety goggles under a face shield to protect you from the high-speed discharge of debris. At minimum, wear sunglasses with side protection.
Lastly, read and follow all instructions and warning signs of your lawn equipment and chemicals to ensure that you are exercising the utmost caution while gardening.
You may think that this will never happen to you, but it is always better to be safe than sorry, especially where your eyesight is involved.
Protecting your eyes from irreparable damage is as easy as a $3 pair of safety glasses, and the motivation to do what is necessary to preserve your vision for years to come.
Be safe out there, and enjoy your summer!
