The most eye-opening finding in the AAO study is that 45% percent of all eye injuries occurred in homes, not on the job, which is the prevailing belief among people for where the majority of eye injuries occur.
Get the Facts on Eye Injuries
- Men are more likely to sustain an eye injury than women.
- Most people believe that eye injuries are most common on the job — especially in the course of work at factories and construction sites.
- More than 40 percent of eye injuries reported in the Eye Injury Snapshot were caused by projects and activities such as home repairs, yard work, cleaning and cooking. More than a third (34.2 percent) of injuries in the home occurred in living areas such as the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living or family room.
- Every year, more than 40 percent of eye injuries are related to sports or recreational activities.
- Eyes can be damaged by sun exposure, not just chemicals, dust or objects.
- Among all eye injuries reported in the Eye Injury Snapshot, more than 78 percent of people were not wearing eyewear at the time of injury. Of those reported to be wearing eyewear of some sort at the time of injury (including glasses or contact lenses), only 5.3 percent were wearing sports or safety glasses.
If you have suffered an eye injury, review these care and treatment recommendations. But most importantly, have an ophthalmologist or other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor.
Ophthalmology and Eye Injuries
Nearly a dozen ophthalmology organizations are working together to help reduce the rate of eye injuries by encouraging people to wear protective eyewear.