Protect Those Eyes

In this post Jeremy, our sales manager, describes a recent eye injury.

I have been in some intense situations. I served about a US naval warship in combat. I've climbed out onto the rotor of a 300 foot wind turbine. I was in a science lab during a hydrogen explosion that destroyed all the windows in the room. I've been in three car wrecks, been shot at, and I've been hit in the face with a baseball bat twice and a golf club once. I even once lept out of a second story window. (Yes, my military days were a bit reckless.)

So I find it a bit ironic that my only major eye injury came from giving myself a paper cut on the retina while walking to my piano lessons. Yes, its strange. I was walking with my lunch in my left hand, and a book in my right. My cheek itched, and I went to scratch it with the corner of my book. Unfortunately, there was a piece of paper sticking out of the book, and I sliced my retina with it.

The eye doctor said it was one of the worst cuts he had seen. He put some antiseptic goo on my eye, and taped it closed. I had to sit in a dark room for two days. After two days, I was allowed to remove the bandage and use the eye. However, my eye is still healing and pools of blood are still visible, which I am told will be absorbed naturally into my eye. My primary physician said I was very lucky not to loose the vision in my right eye.

It turns out, that my story is not that uncommon. While many of us use protective eye wear in the workplace, only about 15% of eye injuries actually occur at work. Most of them occur at home or during recreational activities, times when were are less cautious. That is why it is important to take extra precautions with your eyes. Train your employees that eye protection at home is just as important as at work. Cleaning the gutters, mowing the lawn, and other normal around the house activities are jobs that require eye protection. Use it. We recommend allowing employees to take their eye protection home. When it comes to your eyes, always err on the side of caution.