Annual survey confirms that nearly half of all eye injuries occur around home

SAN FRANCISCO — A survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma has confirmed that nearly half of the 2.5 million eye injuries that Americans suffer annually occur in close proximity to the home, according to a press release from the AAO.

The sixth annual Eye Injury Snapshot study found that 47.6% of ocular injuries in the United States occur in yards, gardens, kitchens and garages. The study also found that 75% of those injured were males and that more than 45% of injuries occurred between noon and 6 p.m.

While the majority of the survey's findings echo results from previous years, the current survey found that children aged 12 years or younger accounted for 20% of all eye injuries - well above the previous 5-year survey average of 15.5%, according to the release.

"Many people still believe that they are most at risk of an eye injury in the workplace, when in fact they face the greatest danger in their home doing household projects like home repair and yard work," David W. Parke II, MD, chief executive officer and executive vice president of the AAO, said in the release. "Unfortunately, all too often the victims of these injuries are children. Ninety percent of the injuries could be prevented simply by wearing protective eyewear."

In an effort to reduce eye injuries in the home, the AAO and ASOT recommend that every household in America have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear. In addition, the AAO's EyeSmart campaign has released new public service announcements featuring PBS television personality and eye safety advocate Norm Abram.