Parents must be diligent in keeping their children's eyes safe during the holidays. Pittsburgh parents should pay particular attention to potentially dangerous children's products and toys.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that over 250,000 injuries, related to toys, are seen in emergency rooms annually. Almost 50 percent of these injuries involve a child's head or face. The American Academy of Ophthalmology wants parents to be "EyeSmart" when considering toys this season.
Some toys are inherently dangerous, such as BB guns, and should only be used by older children trained to handle these products. However, even those toys not designed to propel objects through the air can cause common eye injuries, such as corneal abrasion, ocular hyphema, traumatic cataract and intraocular pressure injury.
Often, these injuries require eye surgery to correct. Most times, the injured children were not wearing protective eyewear. Fortunately, most children's eye injuries can be prevented. The Academy offers five toy buying tips for EyeSmart parents.
- Do not purchase toys with "sharp, protruding or projectile parts."
- Always supervise children when they're playing with potentially hazardous toys and games.
- Be sure that, whatever sports your child plays, give him/her proper protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses.
- Only purchase age appropriate toys that are created for your child's age and maturity level.
- Do not allow younger children to play with toys designed for older children.
Despite your close supervision, should your child suffer an eye injury from a toy, get immediate medical attention from an experienced ophthalmologist. Don't wait for complications to develop. EyeSmart® is a public service of the Academy to help the public enjoy a lifetime of healthy eyes and vision.
Are you always careful to supervise young children when they're playing with toys? Do you provide your children that play sports with proper eye protective devices? Do you have additional suggestions to help parents prevent eye injuries to their children?
Source: newswise, "Ophthalmologists Caution Parents: Hazardous Toys Are Responsible for Thousands of Eye Injuries Each Year," Dec. 4, 2012