By:  Mark A. Sibley, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Your lawn mower can hurl a stone into your eye or someone else's eye at 200 miles per hour. Each year more than 5,000 people have their eyes injured because of such mishaps in the yard and garden.

Edging, weed-whacking, or even pruning the bushes can send flying clippings into the eyes. Using a chainsaw or chopping wood can blind an eye with a wood chip or splinter.

Almost 100 percent of these eye injuries can be avoided. All you need to do is take simple precautions for yourself or your family members.

Wear goggles or safety glasses when you are doing yard work, and keep others away when you are mowing or edging the lawn.

Home construction or building materials (metal, lumber, nails) can also do serious eye damage. Unfortunately, I have treated many one-eyed carpenters who lost an eye to a flying nail that hit their eye while hammering. It happened faster than they could blink. They lost their vision "in the blink of an eye."

Using appropriate eye safety precautions and eye protection can almost always prevent such accidents. Safety goggles ($3 at any hardware store) can be worn to protect yourself from flying particles, especially when hammering nails!

Take precautions to prevent eye injuries when you are gardening or doing yard work.

This summer please remember that whatever you are doing, your eyes are at stake. Let's keep your eyes safe.

Dr. Mark Sibley

Dr. Mark Sibley, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist and laser specialist who practices locally. He is medical advisor to the Society to Prevent Blindness and to the American Diabetes Association, and is team ophthalmologist for the Devil Rays.

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