How to Prevent Eye Injuries in Children

Install corner guards on coffee tables, end tables, and furniture with sharp edges to prevent injuries when children fall or run into furniture. Secure heavy furniture like bookcases and dressers to walls to prevent tip-over accidents that can cause serious head and eye trauma. Make sure handrails are installed on all staircases and that lighting is adequate throughout your home, especially on stairs and in hallways where falls are more likely to occur.

Keep children at a safe distance when cooking with hot oils or liquids that can splash and cause burns to the face and eyes. Be cautious when opening carbonated beverages or champagne bottles, as the sudden release of pressure can cause corks or caps to fly toward eyes with significant force. Store sharp utensils, knives, and kitchen tools in locked drawers or high cabinets where young children cannot reach them.

Store all household cleaners, detergents, pesticides, and chemicals in locked cabinets or on high shelves out of children's reach. Laundry detergent pods are a leading cause of pediatric chemical eye burns and must be kept in locked storage at all times. Never transfer chemicals to unmarked containers that children might mistake for drinks or food. Avoid mixing cleaning products, as this can create dangerous fumes or splashing liquids.

Keep original labels on all products so you know exactly what to tell emergency responders if an exposure occurs. Drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and toilet bowl cleaners are highly alkaline and can cause severe chemical burns within seconds of contact. Even milder cleaners like window spray or dish soap can cause significant pain and irritation to young eyes.

Store cosmetics, hair sprays, nail polish remover, and personal care products away from children. Keep electronic cigarette liquids in locked cabinets, as they can cause severe chemical burns if they contact the eyes. Supervise young children during bath time to prevent them from rubbing soap or shampoo into their eyes. Teach older children to close their eyes when applying or removing products and to wash their hands before touching their face.

Keep scissors, pencils, pens, and craft supplies under supervision. Teach children to carry scissors with the pointed end down and to never run while holding sharp objects. Be mindful of everyday items like paper clips, bungee cords, resistance bands, wire coat hangers, rubber bands, and tie-downs, which can snap back and strike the eye with high velocity if used carelessly. Keep all elastic and spring-loaded items out of children's reach until they are old enough to understand the risks.

Basketball causes more eye injuries than any other sport in youth athletics due to fingers and elbows striking the eye area during play. Baseball and softball pose risks from high-speed balls and bats that can cause severe injuries including ruptured globes and retinal detachments. Other high-risk activities include racquet sports, hockey, football, soccer, and paintball. Even non-contact sports can result in eye injuries from balls, equipment, or accidental collisions with other players.

Our ophthalmologists at ReFocus Eye Health Bloomfield Jolley recommend protective eyewear for all children participating in sports, but it is absolutely essential for high-risk activities. Children who have had previous eye injuries, eye surgery, or vision in only one eye should never participate in sports without proper eye protection. Without protection, a single injury to a child's only functional eye could result in total blindness.

Choose sports goggles that meet the ASTM F803 standard and feature polycarbonate lenses, which are up to 10 times more impact-resistant than regular plastic. Use sport-specific protection including goggles for basketball and racquet sports, a batting helmet with polycarbonate face guard for baseball and softball, and full HECC-approved face shields for ice hockey. For paintball, ensure eyewear meets the specific paintball safety standard. Our ophthalmologists can help you select and fit the right protection for your child's sport and ensure prescription lenses are incorporated if needed.

Regular prescription glasses and sunglasses do not provide adequate protection during sports because they are not designed to withstand high-impact forces. If regular glasses break during play, the glass or plastic fragments can cause even more severe eye injuries than the original impact. Standard glasses can also have frames with sharp edges that pose additional risks. If your child needs vision correction during sports, we can prescribe sports goggles with corrective lenses built in that meet proper safety standards.

Make wearing protective eyewear a non-negotiable rule from the first day of any sport, just like wearing a helmet for biking or a seatbelt in the car. Let your child choose styles and colors they like to increase compliance and help them feel confident wearing the eyewear. Set a good example by wearing your own protective eyewear during sports and yard work. Explain how protective eyewear keeps their vision safe for all the activities they love, including sports, reading, and spending time with friends.

Focus on environmental safety through thorough childproofing of all areas where your baby spends time. Keep all small objects, chemicals, and sharp items completely out of reach in locked cabinets or on high shelves. Use outlet covers and cabinet locks consistently throughout your home. Never leave an infant or toddler unsupervised on changing tables, beds, or other elevated surfaces where they could fall and injure their eyes. Provide shade and hats for sun protection when outdoors, introducing sunglasses when your child will tolerate wearing them.

Begin teaching basic safety concepts using simple language that young children can understand. Supervise craft activities closely and introduce safety scissors designed specifically for young children with rounded tips. Choose soft, age-appropriate toys without projectile features or small parts that could become hazards. Start establishing routines like handwashing before touching the face and explaining why we do not touch our eyes with dirty hands. Continue sun protection with hats and sunglasses during outdoor play.

Teach specific safety rules for activities and expect children to follow them with less direct supervision as they demonstrate understanding. Introduce protective eyewear for sports and make it a consistent requirement without exceptions. Encourage children to speak up if they see other kids engaging in dangerous behavior that could cause eye injuries. Make sure your child's school requires ANSI Z87.1 certified protective eyewear for science experiments and shop classes, and ASTM F803 certified eyewear for sports activities.

Reinforce sports safety as athletic activities become more competitive and intense. Discuss peer pressure and help teens feel confident refusing to participate in risky activities that could endanger their eyes or overall safety. If teens start wearing contact lenses, ensure they understand proper hygiene and care, including never wearing contacts while swimming, showering, or sleeping unless specifically prescribed. Continue modeling good safety habits yourself, as teens still learn from adult examples even as they seek more independence.

Even seemingly minor eye injuries can have serious consequences if not properly evaluated by our ophthalmologists. Symptoms like persistent pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or visible redness that lasts more than a few hours should always be checked. Some injuries develop complications days after the initial trauma, including retinal detachment, traumatic glaucoma, or infections. When in doubt, it is always safer to have us examine your child's eye rather than wait to see if symptoms resolve on their own.

Chemical burns require immediate flushing regardless of your child's cooperation, as every second of delay increases the permanent damage to eye tissues. For young children, you may need to gently hold them while another adult helps flush the eye with water. Use a firm but calm voice and explain that this is necessary to save their vision. Position your child so gravity helps water flow across the eye, such as lying on their back with their head tilted or standing in the shower. If you absolutely cannot flush the eye at home, get to an emergency room immediately where medical staff can assist, but attempt flushing during transport if possible.

Children with reduced vision in one eye actually need more protection, not less. These children depend heavily on their better eye for all daily activities, learning, and development. Losing vision in the remaining healthy eye would be devastating and result in legal blindness or total blindness. Our ophthalmologists strongly recommend protective eyewear during all sports and recreational activities for any child with significant vision loss in one eye, even if they choose not to participate in high-contact sports.

Even properly chlorinated pools contain chemical irritants and potential contaminants that can affect your child's eyes and cause discomfort or infections. Swim goggles protect against chemical irritation from chlorine and prevent waterborne microorganisms from entering the eyes. For children who wear contact lenses, swim goggles are essential because water exposure to contacts can lead to serious sight-threatening infections like Acanthamoeba keratitis, a painful condition that can cause permanent vision loss. We recommend swim goggles for all children every time they swim in pools, lakes, or any body of water.