Eye injuries occur at a rate of about 2000 per day, with 10-20% resulting in temporary or permanent vision loss. Common causes of eye injuries include flying debris, chemicals, and improper tool use. Different types of eye protection include safety glasses, goggles, and face shields, with the appropriate type depending on the job hazards. Jobs with high eye injury risks include auto repair, healthcare, manufacturing, and welding, and the proper protective eyewear can prevent injuries for each job. Employers are responsible for assessing eye hazards and ensuring employees have appropriate protection.

1. Safety measures to prevent
ocular injuries
Sahibzada Hakim Anjum Nadeem
Co-Incharge OTTC, Optician, Refractionist, COAVS
CEO Anjum Eye Care & Optical Company
Optometrist, Al-Khair Eye Hospital Lahore
Email: shanjum92@gmail.com

2. Safety measures to prevent
ocular injuries

3. Why should we be concerned with Eye
Safety?
• Eye injuries of all types occur at the
rate of about 2000/day.
• 10% to 20% of these injuries result in
temporary or permanent vision loss.
•Three out of five people who receive
sustainable eye injuries were not
wearing eye protection.

4. What are some causes of eye injuries?
• Flying objects – A survey conducted by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found
that about 70% of eye injuries were
caused by flying debris or falling
objects
• Contact with Chemicals
• Misuse of tools: improper guards,
poor maintenance, poor safety habits

5. You should always use the appropriate eyewear for the job

6. What are the different kinds of eye protection?
• Glass Lenses
• Plastic Lenses
• Polycarbonate Lenses
• Shielded safety glasses
• Goggles
• Full Face shields

7. Glass Lenses
• Glass lenses provide good
scratch resistance
• They can withstand chemical
exposure
• They can accommodate a
large number of prescriptions

8. Plastic and polycarbonate Lenses
• Light weight
• Protect against welding splatter
• Less likely to fog up
• Not very scratch resistant
• Will not accommodate prescriptions

9. Safety glasses should be shielded
• Shielding provides better
protection from flying debris
• It provides protection
against chemicals which
may be suspended in the air

10. Goggles
• Goggles provide greater protection
from splashes, liquids and dusts
than shielded safety glasses
• They should fit tightly against your
face
• They provide the best protection
against liquid pesticides and other
toxic chemicals

11. Face shields
• Face shields are used where
you have a very high chance of
exposure to an airborne
substance
• A face shield is not enough to
protect your eyes by itself; It
should be worn with approved
safety glasses

12. JOBS WITH ELEVATED EYE INJURY RISK AND
RECOMMENDED PROTECTIVE EYE WEAR TO
COUNTER RISKS

13. JOB HAZARDS PROTECTIVE EYE WEAR
AUTO REPAIR
Mechanics are more likely than
the average worker to be injured
on the job; contact with objects
and equipment, such as parts and
materials, represent a significant
hazard. Eye injuries can occur as a
result of sparks from cutting
torches and airborne pieces of
metal launched from bench
grinders.
‐ Goggles
‐ Safety glasses with
side shields

14. DRIVING
For 1st class license holder’s
good vision is a necessity
both for the safety of drivers
as well as others on the road.
It is also important for drivers
to protect themselves against
harmful UV rays, glare and
airbag injuries to the eye.
- Polycarbonate
lenses with UV
protection and
antireflective
coating

15. HEALTH CARE,
LABORATORY
AND
JANITORIAL
WORK
Infectious diseases can be transmitted
through the mucous membranes of
the eye as a result of direct exposure
(e.g., blood splashes and respiratory
droplets generated during coughing or
suctioning) or from touching the eyes
with contaminated fingers or other
objects. The infections can range from
relatively minor, such as conjunctivitis
or reddening/soreness of the eye, to
more serious diseases such as HIV, B
virus (HBV) or possibly influenza.
- Goggles
- Face shields

16. MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing eye injuries are
most likely to result from work that
generates flying particles,
fragments, sparks, dust, hazardous
substances or radiation. Tasks with
the highest risk of eye injuries are
grinding, welding and hammering.
other high-risk activities include
cutting, drilling, spraying,
smelting, sanding, chipping and
chiseling.
- Spectacles
- Goggles
- Safety glasses with
side shields

17. WELDING
Chemical burns to one or
both eyes from splashes of
industrial chemicals or
cleaning products are
common. Thermal burns to
the eye occur as well. Among
welders, their assistants and
nearby workers, UV radiation
burns (welder’s flash)
routinely damage workers’
eyes and surrounding tissue.
- Welding
goggles
- Welding
helmets

18. The use of proper eye protection, such as safety glasses,
goggles, face shields and helmets can prevent countless eye
injuries. The occupational Safety and Health Administration
requires the use of eye and face protection whenever there
is a chance of injury that could be prevented by such
equipment. The right eye protection for each work situation
depends upon the type of hazard, the circumstances of
exposure, other protective equipment used and individual
vision needs. Employers are required to assess eye safety
hazards in the workplace and take measures to ensure
employee safety through compliance with government
regulations for eyewear and emergency eyewash stations.