Infant Eye Safety

When there’s a crawling child in your house, sharp objects, aerosol sprays, perfumes and chemicals all become potential hazards.

It’s not always easy to keep your baby’s eyes out of harm’s way. Here are some tips and ideas to make your home as safe as possible for your baby’s developing eyesight:

• Practice safe use of common items that can cause serious eye injury, such as paper clips, pencils, scissors, bungee cords, wire coat hangers and rubber bands
• Keep all chemicals and sprays out of reach
• Only purchase age-appropriate toys
• Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs
• Pad or cushion sharp corners on furniture
• Lock all cabinets and drawers that children can reach
• Have your child wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection when outdoors

Can I Treat an Eye Injury Myself?

Despite every precaution, accidents may happen. If your baby's eye is injured, you should always get professional medical attention as soon as possible. It’s the best way to safeguard your baby's vision.

While seeking medical attention, here are some tips to care for your injured child:

DO:

• Do gently cover a cut or puncture wound
• Do flush the eye with plenty of water (only in the event of chemical exposure)

DO NOT:

• Do not touch, rub or apply pressure to the eye
• Do not try to remove any object stuck in the eye. For small debris, lift the eyelid and ask your child to blink rapidly to see if tears will flush out the particle. If not, close the eye and seek treatment
• Do not apply ointment or medication to the eye