How to Protect Your Eyes When Working on Home Improvement Projects

With stay-at-home orders in place due to COVID-19, many people are using this time to catch up on home improvement projects. Whether you want to keep yourself busy while being cooped up or add space or value to your home, quarantine is a good opportunity to work on DIY projects.

Whatever home improvement project you decide to tackle, the team at InVision Eye Care encourages you to work safely. Eye injuries caused by home improvement projects are common yet preventable with the proper precautions. Taking some commonsense precautions and wearing the appropriate protective gear can drastically reduce your risk of injury. 

Read on as our team explains how to reduce your risk of eye injuries while working on DIY projects.

Safety Tips for Home Improvement Projects

• Wear protective eyewear when working with hazardous chemicals, debris, projectiles or other objects that could cause an injury. This includes everything from paint to sawdust to flying splinters. If in doubt over whether you should wear protective eyewear during a project, err on the side of caution. 
• Look for safety glasses or goggles made from polycarbonate material that is impact- and scratch-resistant. Ensure your glasses or goggles fit well and that there are no gaps where debris could get through and injure your eyes.
• Keep your tools and equipment in good condition. Repair any damaged pieces. 
• Store paint, pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals in a safe place.
• Prior to mowing the lawn or using a leaf blower or weed whacker, remove debris from the ground. You do not want these objects to become projectiles if you hit or run over them. 
• Use care when carrying tools from one project to another. Do not toss a tool on the ground or throw it to anyone else.
• Pour chemicals slowly and carefully so they do not splash your face and eyes.
• Keep your work area clutter-free so you do not trip over anything and hurt yourself.

In Case of Emergency

Taking proper precautions minimizes the risk of an injury, but accidents can still happen. 

If a foreign body penetrates your eye or gets stuck in your eye, do not rub your eyes or try to dislodge the object yourself. Seek medical attention immediately.

If chemicals splash your eyes, use water to irrigate your eyes immediately. Run water over your eyes for 20 minutes. Call our doctors for further instructions and keep the chemical container on-hand so you can share the information with the doctor.

If you experience an eye emergency, we are here for you. Contact us and we will do our best to respond as quickly as possible.