Be Prepared for Summer Fun

We have all waited for warm weather to arrive, and to be able to enjoy the great outdoors. We take walks, we read on the patio, barbecue, and occasionally are exposed to moving projectiles. Tennis balls, baseball, frisbee, champagne corks, and firecrackers pose a potential threat to our vision. But even trimming trees, welding, and walking through the woods can ruin a pleasant weekend.

A recent article in the archives of Ophthalmology highlighted the increasing use of bottle rockets and the significant ocular injuries which can occur. But these injuries from superficial corneal abrasions to intraocular hemorrhage and retinal detachment can occur with playing tennis, using firecrackers, and even mowing the lawn.

Explosive devices like land mines and IEDs can cause bilateral blindness in 1% of cases; the incidence is much higher for the loss of one eye. The reason ocular injury is so frequent is that we tend to direct our attention with our eyes, thereby increasing their vulnerability. Caution and common sense should be employed by each of us and the effects of these activities must be continually emphasized to our children. I cannot emphasize eye protection enough, which even includes UV blocking sunglasses during the peak solar hours.