“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” That popular line from a beloved Christmas movie may be no more relevant in the year the movie “A Christmas Story” was set, than it is today. New research shows, eye related injuries are on the rise among children, and parents are being urged to be take more precautions.
Paintball guns, BB and pellet guns all pose a safety risk for young children, especially when kids fail to play it safe. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio say that between 1990 and 2012, 442,000 kids were taken to the ER for sports and recreation related eye injuries. That’s an average of more than 19,200 children a year. Believe it or not, that is nearly two every hour.
The study shows children ages 10 to 17 had the highest rate of injury. Boys were more likely to be hurt than girls. But there are way to make sure we can keep our kids safe while they are having fun.
Tips to Avoid Eye Injury
- Always wear eye protection that meets national standards when using non-powder guns.
- Teach children to shoot BB and pellet guns at targets with a backstop that will trap BBs or pellets and prevent ricochet.
- Make sure that parents and children are educated on proper safety precautions.
- Always have appropriate adult supervision
Children may not have the same understanding of the dangers posed by recreational guns as adults. It is our responsibility as parents to make sure they are safe while they are having fun. Otherwise the consequences could have permanent ramifications.
