Spring Cleaning Saftey Tips – You’d Be Surprised How Easily You Can Injure Your Eyes

Here in Eugene Spring is, well, springing, and for quite a few people that means it’s time to focus on the accumulation of the winter months – and that of course means…spring cleaning. Yes, that lovely time of the year when you take inventory of all the things you didn’t do when the weather wasn’t so…co-operative. It’s time to focus on all the dust and dirt and stuff that seemed to literally pile up over the past few months. So grab the mop, rags, and bucket, strap on those weird rubber gloves…and most importantly, don’t forget to protect your eyes!
It’s a bit surprising every year the number of preventable eye injuries that occur as folks do their spring cleaning. Most of these injuries are not life-threatening but can be quite serious and the vast majority are preventable with some very basic and simple forethought. Here are some easy items to consider when preparing for your annual cleaning.

1) Do a quick once over of the area you are going to clean. Are their obstacles that need to be moved? Is there a fair amount of dust or dirt that has built up? If so, minimize the circulation of the offending particles by using a handheld vacuum.
2) Use less harsh cleaning products. We are fortunate to live in an area that concerns itself with the environment. As such, there are a wide variety of cleaning products available that will reduce the potential of irritating or even damaging your eyes.
3) Make sure to have steady air flow through the areas you will be cleaning. Ventilation is important as most eye irritants tend to be air born. Open windows and doors to allow air to flow freely.
4) Wash your hands frequently. Rubbing your forehead, brow, and eyes is a subconscious act. You’ll be surprised how often you do it without your knowledge. Wash your hands frequently to remove any unwanted particles, preventing them from working their way into your eyes.
5) If you’re using any form of chemical, particularly a spray, wear protective eye gear. Simple clear glasses available at any hardware store will greatly reduce the risk of sprayed cleaning products settling into your eyes.

This easy list most likely seems obvious, and it is, but taking a moment to think and plan ahead will definitely help reduce an unnecessary trip to the ER or our office. While we’d love to see you, we’d prefer it to be to help improve your sight, not to save it.

Photo by Daiga Ellaby on unsplash