The following are Safety tips for your Eyes in the Fall season. As the leaves change, the temperatures dip out of the triple digits, and we start doing more work around the house it is important to keep eye health and safety in mind. Although most of us consider the “home” to be a place of comfort and security, the American Academy of Ophthalmology reports that nearly half of all eye injuries occur at or around the patient’s residence.

Wear protective eyeglasses when doing your household chores.

  • Raking leaves
  • Leaf blower
  • Trimming shrubs

Monitor your kids’ art projects.

  • Pencils, scissors, popsicle sticks are potential risks for your Jack-O-Lantern making kiddos!

Choose Halloween costume make-up wisely.

  • Not all body paints are intended for use on the face and around the eyes.
  • Be careful preparing your scrumptious Thanksgiving meal.
  • Wear eye protection/ grease shields if you choose to fry your bird.
  • You may not look like Rachel Ray or Bobby Flay in the kitchen with your eyewear on, but being able to see the look on your family’s face when they bite into your creations will be well worth the precautions!

Cleaning up the house for family and guests can be more treacherous than making your way through a haunted house.

  • Always read labels of household cleaners and chemicals. Keep chemicals out of the reach of youngsters.
  • If you do get a cleaning agent in your eye, rinse your eye profusely with water and seek medical attention immediately.

Make sure the dear takes the brunt of the hunt.

  • Wear proper eye protection while hunting.

Eat plenty of eye candy.

  • Sweet potatoes and carrots are rich sources of beta carotene (one component of AREDS multivitamin used in the care of patients with Macular Degeneration).
  • Turkey is stuffed with zinc (another of the AREDS vitamins).
  • Eating green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kale).

Mujahid Hines, M.D. is a Comprehensive Ophthalmologist. He is affiliated with LaserCare Eye Center(for more information go to dfweyes.com ) LaserCare Eye Center is a Comprehensive Ophthalmology practice specializing in LASIK and Refractive Cataract surgery (ReSTOR, Crystalens, and Toric lens implants). LaserCare Eye Center has 2 offices in Irving and Southlake, Texas. For more information call 214-328-0444 or 817.481.2727. This article Fall Safety Tips for Your Eyes was written by Mujahid Hines, M.D.