Lack of Protective Eyewear Common Factorin Eye Injuries (NAPSA)—Eye injuries can oc- cur anywhere. With little precaution, they may not happen to you. To help identify the nature of eye injuries, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Eye M.D. Association, sponsored a study, the Eye Injury Snapshot Project. Nearly 600 physicians from across the country participated in the project by reporting information about patients they treated for eye injuries during a single week. The study showed 75 percent of those injured were not wearing any sort of eye protection. Most of the doctors who participated in the study felt manyof the eye injuries could have been avoided if the patients had worn protective eyewear. The study also found that Agesof patients suffering with eyeinjuries i 2.1% Under 3 Las 12.1% 3 to 12 TE 9.1% 13 to 17 LE 20.1% 18 fo 29 a 28.5% 30 to 45 LE 18.2% 46 to 64 LEE 9.9% 65 or older Total 700% @ nearly half of the eye injuries occurred at home. According to Prevent Blindness America, the homeis the fastest growing place for eye injuries and bystandersare often the ones injured. Injuries at the workplace have been significantly reduced because of the good eye safety regulations. Otherresults: * Most of those injured were Caucasian males and nearly half the patients treated were between the ages of 18 and 45. Nearly half of the injuries occurred between the hours of noon and 6 p.m. * Most of the injuries were caused by accident, but nearly 10 percent were caused by assaults. Nearly one in four of the injuries was caused by a projectile object. One in six injuries was caused by a blunt object, one in seven caused by a finger, fist or other body part and one in nine resulted from a sharp object. More than half of the in- juries were to the cornea and Nearly half of the patients treated were between the ages of 18 and 45. nearly half were to the conjunctiva, the transparent film that covers the white part of the eye. Nearly three in five physicians felt the injury could have been avoided with proper patient education. Paul Sternberg Jr., M.D., the Academy’s Secretary for Communications, said, “Most of the in- juries reported could have been prevented by taking simple precautions, such as wearing protec- tive eyewear. We are hoping what we learn from the Eye Injury Snapshot Project will be used to educate the public about protecting eyes from injuries.” The Academyplans to continue sponsoring the Eye Injury Snapshot Project on a yearly basis. The Academyis the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons, with more than 27,000 members.
