No one really expects to sustain an eye injury in the home. Prevent Blindness National states that thousands of eye accidents occur every day, and that nine out of ten of these injuries could have been avoided if proper eye protection had been used. Although wearing safety goggles when drilling wood in the garage or while mixing up chemicals in a chemistry classroom are common sense, there are some other situations that warrant the use of eye safety glasses. Look through this list, see if you're guilty of performing these actions without proper eye protection, and make the changes necessary to prevent injuries, infections and even blindness.

Around the House

Is a pair of safety goggles stored with your bathroom spray, bleach and other household cleaning chemicals? You are not alone if you're shaking your head. Keep in mind, however, that people who get eye injuries during regular household maintenance were not expecting to hurt themselves any more than you are right now.

If you already wear eyeglasses, you might think that you're exempt from having to wear safety goggles, but this is not the case. Chemicals and flying debris can fly up in the space between your glasses and your skin. If you wear contact lenses, they can hold a chemical in your eye and create additional difficulties when you try to use an eye wash or otherwise remove the foreign substance.

Buy a pair of safety goggles, keep them with your cleaning equipment, and put them on when you're spraying, mixing or sloshing.

In the Garage

Do you work on projects in your garage? Whether you're laying under the car changing the oil or you're building birdhouses with your kids, your eyes are at risk if you're not wearing goggles to protect them. Consider that even the act of hammering a nail into a piece of wood can send tiny fragments into the air -- and into your eye. If you are working with kids or teens, wearing safety goggles (and having them wear them, too, as bystanders can also suffer an eye injury) sets a good example that will stick with them for years to come.

Out and About

If you play sports, you probably already know how important it is to protect your eyes and face. Paintball, ice hockey and skiing are all sports that require the use of eye protection.

What about simply being out and about? Ultraviolet rays can cause damage to your eyes, even if it's slightly overcast. In addition, the glare of sun glinting off the snow can cause eye damage, pain and temporary difficulty in seeing. There is even some evidence that sunglasses can help prevent eye melanoma, a form of cancer. In addition, you can keep the area around your eyes looking younger by wearing proper sunglasses; you will have less sun damage to the area, and maybe even fewer wrinkles from squinting in the bright light.

You can probably think of a few obstacles to wearing eye protection. First, you might be the only one in your neighborhood wearing goggles while weed-whacking. Try not to worry about this; under your good example, others just might follow suit! Secondly, it can be difficult to get into the habit of wearing goggles or glasses when you haven't before. Buy a few pairs and keep them in places that you're likely to see them. For example, put one pair in your cleaning bucket or with your dust rags, hang another pair next to your tools in the garage, and keep sunglasses in your car.

By using eye protection, even if it does not seem absolutely necessary, you'll be reducing your chances of experiencing various eye conditions. All you have to lose is the chance that you'll be spending time and money in the doctor's office while being treated for completely preventable injuries, so put this on your to-do list. For more information, contact a practice such as Dr Jade & Associates eye doctor​.