Whether you are a weekend-only gardener or a lawn-care specialist, you should protect your eyes when working outdoors, according to the American Optometric Association. Each year, power lawn trimmers alone cause more then 1,500 eye injuries. Tree or bush branches can cause painful scratches to the eye, and burns or eye irritations caused by fertilizers and weed killers can also occur. The AOA offers this advice to help prevent eye injuries in the home garden environment:

  • Wear wrap-around safety goggles made of polycarbonate – the strongest lens material available. You can find these at most hardware and department stores. Look for the label that says the goggles meet the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87.1 standard.
  • Don’t rely on ordinary prescription glasses for eye safety. Although they are impact-resistant, they are not safety eyewear. In addition, chemical or spray dust can get around the sides easily and into the eyes.
  • Wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of the sun’s UVA and UVB ultraviolet radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of light. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light over time can cause cataracts and may contribute to age-related macular degeneration, which are potentially blinding. Wide-brimmed caps and hats can only eliminate about 50% of UV radiation from reaching the eyes.
  • Additional tips for picking out sunglasses: If you can see your eyes through the lenses, the glasses are not dark enough. Look for a gray tint lens, which causes the least distortion of colors.
  • Cover the sharp tips of bamboo or metal stakes (often used for tomato or climbing plants) with plastic wire nuts to prevent an accidental puncture wound.

If eye injury occurs, apply these emergency care procedures and then seek treatment immediately from an eye care professional or at a hospital emergency room:

  • For chemical splashes such as battery acid or paint thinner, flood the eye non-stop with clean water for 15 minutes to dilute or remove the chemical. For alkaline burns (such as lime, lye, ammonia, plaster of Paris, or fireworks powder), irrigate the eye for 30 minutes. After thoroughly washing out the eye, seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
  • For blows to the eye from a blunt object, lightly apply a cold compress; do not attempt to wash, rub or apply pressure, even to stop blood flow.
  • For penetrating injuries, bandage lightly.
  • If an object is stuck in the eye, leave it there and seek treatment.
  • For foreign material in the eye, do not rub. Lift the upper eyelid outward and pull it down over the lower lashes. This will cause tears, which can flush the foreign matter out. If not, seek treatment.
  • Last but not least, remember to have an eye examination every year or two. Protect your vision so that you may enjoy the splendor of your garden for many years to come.

Julie Danielson, an optometric physician, is available by appointment at 541-899-2020.