7/12/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Eye injuries in the United States occur at a rate of more than 2,000 per day, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Federal Occupational Health service unit.
But despite the fact that most of these injuries can be avoided with the use of proper safety eyewear, people often neglect to protect their eyes from hazards at home and in the workplace.
The Air Force's recognition of the critical need for eye protection is reflected in its occupational safety and health standards, which require workers, especially those in certain career fields, to wear suitable eye protection, whether it's safety glasses, goggles or wrap-around face shields.
Deploying personnel are issued ballistic eye protection and are encouraged to wear these glasses at home as well.
Linda Howlett, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph ground safety manager, said supervisors are "responsible for ensuring employees are properly trained on all personal protective equipment required to perform their job.
"The training frequency depends on the type of PPE and the task," she said. "All employees who are required to wear PPE will receive training in accordance with the work center's job safety training outline."
Howlett said some workers are more at risk for eye injuries.
"Workplaces that require eye protection are those where there is a hazard of getting something in the eye that can injure it - such as being struck by a foreign object while grinding, drilling or woodworking - and a splash hazard while washing aircraft with chemicals," she said. "Welders require eye protection to guard against flying sparks and to prevent welder's flash."
Welder's flash occurs when ultraviolet B rays strike the eye, burning the cornea. The condition is known as photokeratitis.
Although many people believe that eye injuries are most common on the job, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society of Ocular Trauma's annual Eye Injury Snapshots indicate a high percentage of injuries occur at home and during sports or recreational activities.
"I would like to emphasize the importance of protecting your eyes while performing off-duty activities such as yard work - mowing, edging, trimming trees and shrubs - woodworking, working on your vehicle and other tasks," Howlett said. "These are things people do all the time, especially in the summer months. People who work primarily administrative jobs do not always think about the need for and the importance of eye protection."
Tech. Sgt. Bryan Crasher, 359th Aerospace-Medicine Squadron Optometry Flight NCO in charge, said protective eyewear is must-have equipment for certain sports.
"Racquetball is No.1 of all sports-related injuries I've seen during my years in the Air Force," he said. "It can really cause severe injuries."
Crasher recalled an incident at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., about 20 years ago when a racquetball player's eye was severely injured when he was struck by a ball.
"He wasn't wearing protective eyewear and suffered fractured bones around the eye," he said. "It was complicated because muscles were caught in the broken bones. But he was fortunate; he had no vision loss. An ambulance was dispatched right away and an ophthalmologist was called."
Crasher said shooting sports also require protective eyewear.
"Any range you go to requires safety glasses and hearing protection," he said. "You have the potential for ricochets and brass comes flying out."
According to Prevent Blindness America, basketball, baseball and racket sports are all leading causes of sports-related injuries to eyes, Lt. Col. Christine Stabile, 359th AMDS biomedical science executive and optometrist, said.
"Racket sports tend to have dramatic injuries, but more eye injuries occur with basketball and baseball due to higher levels of participation," she said.
Crasher said he believes educational efforts have helped reduce the incidence of eye injuries suffered by Air Force members.