PBA names September Home Eye Safety Awareness Month

Chicago-The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that in 2006 more than 219,000 Americans went to the emergency room to be treated for eye injuries. More than half of these eye injuries occurred in the home.

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has named September as Home Eye Safety Awareness Month to encourage people to make protecting their sight a priority.

Household chemicals such as house cleaners and paint can cause serious damage upon entering the eye. Lawn maintenance and car repairs are also possible scenarios for eye injury.

Ninety percent of these injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. Goggles should have (ANSI Z-87) stamped on the lenses or frames, verifying that they have been certified through the American National Standards Institute.