Listed below are some of the ways we can protect our eyes. Brainstorm ways of protecting eyes with your class.

Another exercise they may like to do is to draw an I Care/Eye Care poster showing eye safety and protection.

1. Eye Checks. If we have regular eye checks, once every year, then any problems we might have with our eyes can be detected by an optometrist and in most cases these can be corrected.
2. Safety Glasses. If you, your friends or people in your family work in a workshop with chemicals, on a farm, or with metal, safety glasses should always be worn. They will protect the eyes from chips of wood, bits of flying metal or even burns from chemicals. Safety glasses should also always be worn when handling fireworks, working in the garden, using a hammer, lawnmower, weed-eater, hedge-trimmer, water-blaster etc.
3. If you are playing ball games, throw the ball to your friends not at them. It could hit and damage their eye. Smaller balls such as cricket, squash and golf balls can be particularly dangerous for your eyes and protective sports eyewear should be worn when playing with them.
4. Sunglasses. Our eyes need protection from the sun so when you go outside wear sunglasses to protect them. They don't have to be expensive, but they must be 99-100% UV protective (just ask the retailer), and wraparound styles are the best as they stop the most light reaching your eyes. Wear a hat too – not only will it protect your head from the sun, but provide extra protection for your eyes.
5. Never run when you are holding a sharp object. If you trip, the object could enter your eye and cause a lot of damage. Always carry scissors by the blade end.
6. Glass doors. Glass doors should always be labelled or have a vision strip or sticker in the middle of the door so that people can see they are closed.
7. Fireworks. Never hold fireworks in your hand to light them. Place them on firm, level ground or in a fireworks holder and step right away after lighting. Never go near fireworks which have not gone off - they could explode. Never throw fire crackers at anyone. Don't give sparklers to children under 5 years old. Always wear safety glasses when lighting fireworks.
8. Computers. Using computers regularly can place strain and wear on your eyes. Always take regular breaks at least every 20 minutes to rest your eyes. Reduce glare by using and antiglare device over the screen.
9. Never start smoking. There are over 4000 chemicals in each cigarette (and that can't be good!). These chemicals can build up in your body and cause damage to your retina, leading to an eye condition called macular degeneration. This condition affects the part of your eye on the retina called the macula, which is responsible for central vision. If you get macular degeneration, your central vision could be lost, which means that tasks such as reading, watching TV or seeing people's faces can be very difficult.
10. Do your best to avoid getting diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 usually happens to us when we are children and there isn't much we can do to avoid it, but type 2 diabetes can happen to us when we are overweight, unfit, or eat too many fatty foods. Type 2 diabetes can lead to an eye condition called diabetic retinopathy, which can severely damage your eyesight and lead to total blindness if it is not treated. In order to help avoid getting type 2 diabetes, there are some things we can do:
    • Keep active by playing sport or exercising
    • Making sure we don't eat too many fatty foods
    • Eating healthily and maintaining a healthy weight

What to do if you do get an eye injury

• If something like sand, dust or dirt gets into your eye, don't rub it. Wash your eye out with water to flush it out.
• If you get hit in the eye by a ball or a fist, put a cold cloth on your eye for at least 15 minutes. This will help stop it swelling. You should also see a doctor.
• If an object such as a stick, pencil, piece of glass or metal gets into your eye, don't try to pull it out! Put a very loose bandage over your eye socket and see a doctor immediately. This is very serious.
• If a chemical like cleaning fluid or acid splashes your eyes, rinse your eyes out with water for at least 10 minutes and see a doctor right away.

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