Eye Protection Tips You Have to See

You Only Have One Pair!

Learn the top tips for protecting your eyes. Protecting your eyes from injury is one of the most basic things you can do to keep your vision healthy throughout your life. Are you aware of the possible risks of eye injuries? At Kugler Vision in Omaha, NE we want to educate our patients on the importance of eye safety. Many people believe that eye injuries are most common on the job – especially at work in factories and construction sites. While these environments certainly have eye safety risks, we should not let our guards down off the job. Nearly half of all eye injuries occur in the home! You’ve got to watch out for more than chemicals, dust, and other objects– eyes can even be damaged by UV rays!

The good news is that protecting your eyes from injury is very easy. 90 percent of eye injuries are entirely avoidable, simply by wearing the proper protective eyewear!

If you are now realizing you have not been wearing the proper protective eyewear, you are not alone. According to a national survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 35 percent of respondents said that they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance. Amazingly, even fewer reported to do so while playing sports!

Eye injuries may sound rare, but they are one of the leading causes of vision loss. More than 40 percent of eye injuries every year are related to sports or recreational activities. Over 40,000 sports-related eye injuries are reported each year! Many of these could have easily been prevented if protective eyewear have been worn.

The Three Common Types of Sports-Related Eye Injuries

• Blunt Injury: A blunt injury occurs when the front of the eye is hit or compressed by  the impact of an object like a tennis ball, fist, or elbow. This can result in a black eye or hyphema, which is bleeding in the front of the eye due to the damage on the eyelid, conjunctiva, sclera, cornea, iris, or lens. In a more serious case, a blunt injury can sometimes break the bones surrounding the eye or damage an important structure, causing vision loss.
• Corneal Abrasion: Corneal abrasion refers to scratches or scrapes on the cornea of the eye, which is the clear, round dome covering the iris and pupil. It can be caused by a finger to the eye or walking or running into a tree branch or other object. After a corneal abrasion, you will often experience blurred vision or the temporary swelling of the cornea. Fortunately, this injury heals with time.
• Penetrating Injury: Penetrating injury is the third type of eye trauma that could result from a sports-related activity. This can occur when a sharp or pointed object goes into the eye. This type of injury is considered very serious and should be treated immediately because it could leave lasting and critical damage to your eye.

Infection From Contact Lenses

Not only are there eye injuries to worry about, eye infections occur often and are a burdensome complication that no one enjoys. For greater mobility, many athletes rely heavily on the use of contact lenses. This comes with it’s own special set of risks. Athletes are more likely to run into eye infections from contact lenses because of their heavy and prolonged reliance on them. Contact lens use puts you at a much greater risk for an infection than vision correction like LASIK.

Don’t Wait ’Til It’s Too Late

We are always trying to help reduce the rate of eye injuries by encouraging our patients and the public to wear protective eyewear. However, if you are already suffering an eye injury, do not hesitate to contact us! It is important to have one of our doctors examine your eye as soon as possible, even if you may think the injury is minor. If you lead an active lifestyle, whether it be playing sports, for your profession, or just working around the house, remember the importance of wearing protective eyewear.

Lance Kugler, MD

Lance Kugler, MD, is a specialist in LASIK and vision correction surgery and CEO of Kugler Vision. A proud Omaha native, he is passionate about improving lives through clear vision. Dr. Kugler serves on several national boards, and his practice is recognized internationally as a center of excellence. Dr. Kugler is one of the original founders of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, an international organization comprised of over 350 of the world’s leading vision correction surgeons; he also served as its first president. In 2019, Dr. Kugler was selected as a TEDx speaker, and delivered a talk in Omaha about the worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness and refractive solutions. Dr. Kugler is an Associate Professor of Refractive Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, has been published in many medical journals, and participates in numerous clinical studies to advance the field of vision correction surgery. Additionally, Dr. Kugler is proud to be a Board Certified Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences. Dr. Kugler and his wife are proud parents to five active kids. When he has a spare moment, he enjoys skiing, tennis, travel, and fine coffee.