COVID 19 – Eye Safety – What happens if you get something in your eye?
Damage to your eyes can threaten your eyesight, so its important to protect them from hazards like injuries.
In the garden or doing DIY
Eye injuries are common while gardening, especially when pruning. It’s easy to bend forward and scratch your eye on a twig or leaf.
Any kind of glasses, including sunglasses, are an easy way to protect your eyes in the garden, although proper safety glasses are best. It’s really important to wear safety glasses or goggles if you are using tools that could make a small stone or grit fly into your eye.
Each year about 20,000 eye injuries are caused by DIY, according to the Eyecare Trust. The best way to protect your eyes is to wear proper safety glasses or goggles. These should be:
- Impact-resistant
- Have a British Standards kitemark or CE mark
- Fit properly (including over your glasses if you wear them)
If something gets in your eye
The golden rule if you get something in your eye is not to rub it.
Instead, pull your upper eyelid outwards then down over your lower lashes. This causes tears to flow which should wash the object out of your eye.
Try this several times if necessary. If it doesn’t work, try washing the object out of your eye with plenty of eye wash, contact lens solution or cold tap water.
If this still doesn’t work, during COVID 19 locked door service, PHONE US and if necessary we will arrange an appointment for you at an Eye Emergency Treatment Centre to have it removed.
