December is Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness month
Approximately 33 percent of toy-related injuries oc-curred to children younger than the age of five, and 45 percent of these toy-related injuries were to the head or face. We want your family to enjoy the holiday season injury free. Follow the tips below for safe holiday gift ideas.
Safe Toy Tips
for Eye Safety
Buy age appropriate toys.
Toys that are made of durable material (quality plastic or wood) are less likely to break and will last longer. Broken toys can have sharp, pointed edges, which pose a risk to a child’s eyes.
Toys stamped with the symbol ASTM F963. This symbol means it follows the safety standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials.
If you are purchasing any sports equipment, such as baseballs, basketballs, or tennis racquets, a pair of polycarbonate sports safety glasses would make a great pairing gift.
Toys that Should Be Avoided
Avoid any toys that shoot darts, projectiles, or flying objects.
Avoid toys that have a recall on them. A toy is recalled if it poses serious risk or harm. If a toy has a recall on it, it should be returned to the store it was purchased from. For a list of recalled toys go to this website https://www.safekids.org/product-recalls.
Eye injuries at a young age can affect the development of a child’s eyes and impact their chances of clear, healthy vision as they grow.
Common toy-related eye injuries include: cuts to the eyelid (lacerations); cuts/scratches to the cornea; fractures to the socket of the eye.
These injuries can lead to serious vision complications, such as: Cataracts (cloudy or damaged lens of the eye); amblyopia (lazy eye); permanent vision loss.
Digital Devices as Gifts
Increased digital device use can affect how children’s eyes develop. The greater the exposure to blue light and digital devices, the greater the risk for the eye to become more elongated, which leads to myopia (nearsightedness). Myopia (nearsightedness) is a refractive error that causes objects up close to appear clear, while objects far away in the distance appear blurry.
Give the gift of sight this Christmas. Choose gifts wisely.
This information is brought to you by Waushara County Public Health and Prevent Blindness.