7 Little-Known Household Items That Can Harm Your Eyes

Published November 20, 2024 by Dr. Jordan Stanley

Did you know your home is filled with items that can put your eyesight at risk? Some items are obvious, such as kitchen knives and other sharp objects, but many eye injuries are caused by items you’ve probably overlooked or underestimated. 

Marietta ophthalmologist Dr. Jordan Stanley trained at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Callahan Eye Hospital—home to one of only two 24/7 emergency eye care centers dedicated to eye medical, surgical, and trauma emergencies. Now practicing in Marietta, GA, Dr. Stanley shares practical tips on how to protect your vision from seven household items that can cause serious, and sometimes permanent, eye injuries.

1. Rugs and railings

A loose rug in the entryway or an unstable stair railing may not directly cause an eye injury, but a resulting fall could. The impact of a fall can cause anything from minor abrasions to more serious injuries like hyphema (bleeding in the front of the eye) or even retinal detachment. Children and the elderly are especially prone to falls.

How to prevent eye injuries: You can help minimize potential injuries by securing rugs with non-slip pads, fixing any loose railings promptly, and padding sharp corners on furniture or countertop edges in high-traffic areas.  

2. Champagne corks

Champagne corks can shoot out of a bottle at speeds up to 50-80 mph, and if pointed in the wrong direction, they can end a celebration in the blink of an eye. According to a study that analyzed eye injury statistics from carbonated beverage bottles, champagne bottle corks were responsible for 20% of the eye injuries. 

50mph is enough to break glass, so a wayward cork can cause serious injuries, including bleeding, a scratched cornea, cataracts, traumatic glaucoma, or retinal detachment. While relatively rare, these latter conditions can lead to vision loss and blindness. Vision lost to glaucoma is permanent and cannot be restored.

How to prevent eye injuries: When opening a bottle, wrap a towel around the neck to slow down the cork’s speed and always point the cork away from people. 

3. Tools & lawn equipment

These items don’t necessarily pose a threat to your eye health on their own, but they can be the catalyst for serious eye risks. One 10-year study found that lawnmowers caused 70,000 injuries, with 3,300 of those injuries being eye-related.

Lawnmowers spin at 2900-3200 RPMs, and gas-powered weed eaters can spin even faster at up to 12,000 RPM—that’s almost 400 miles per hour. At these speeds, even the tiniest pebble or splinter can be devastating if your eyes are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Flying debris is a concern with power tools, too, as they account for about 25% of all eye injuries according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Drilling, nailing, and sanding can launch shards of wood, plastic, and other surfaces into your eyes causing bleeding between the cornea and iris (hyphema), retina damage, and eye pressure problems, among others.  

How to prevent eye injuries: Always wear American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved safety goggles or face shields when using tools or lawn equipment. Also, ensure that others (including children and pets) are at a safe distance from your workspace. If debris enters your eye, avoid rubbing it and seek immediate medical attention; an ophthalmologist can thoroughly clean your eye and assess any potential damage.

4. Handheld fireworks

Most of us keep a safe distance from the “big” fireworks, but it’s the ones you hold in your hand that have made this list. The most recent Annual Fireworks Report by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission notes that injuries to the eyes account for about 19% of all firework-related injuries. Another sobering statistic stated in the report is that the highest rate of total injuries was in children aged 5-9 and 15-19. 

Nearly 1 in 5 firework injuries are to the eyes, so adults and kids who handle them should wear ANSI-approved eye protection.

Sparklers burn between 1,800° and 3,000°F (for reference, exposure to heat exceeding 150°F for just two seconds can cause a 3rd-degree burn). The bright sparks and flying debris of sparklers and smaller fireworks can cause everything from minor irritations to catastrophic injuries like corneal lacerations or retinal damage. 

How to prevent eye injuries: If fireworks will be part of your celebrations, wear eye protection at all times. It’s especially important to closely supervise children when handling fireworks and provide eye protection for them, too.

5. Fingers

According to an eight-year study on childhood eye injuries by Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, about 26% of the injuries occurred because the child poked themselves or was poked accidentally. Typical child’s play is a prime scenario for fingers (or any hand-held objects, like sticks and toys) to find their way into an eye, and children may accidentally poke themselves more often because spatial awareness and fine motor skills are still developing. 

Adults experience fewer accidental eye pokes, but getting poked in the eye is still a common cause of eye injury; applying makeup, putting on sunglasses, or contact sports can all result in eye trauma including damage to the cornea or ocular surface and vision loss. 

How to prevent eye injuries: Accidents happen, but you can limit the risk of eye pokes by wearing protective eyewear, especially during activities that make the eyes more vulnerable than usual. Many eye pokes only require at-home care, such as washing out the eyes with water or artificial tears. If there is no improvement in pain or vision after 12 hours, have an ophthalmologist assess the damage and follow their recommendations on caring for the eye. 

6. Cleaning supplies

Cleaning agents like bleach, drain cleaners, detergents, and stain removers can be dangerous if mishandled, as they cause about 125,000 eye injuries each year. Many household cleaners contain substances that can cause chemical burns, irritation, and even permanent damage to your eyes. 

Cleaning agents can harm the eyes, so keep them stored out of kids’ reach—especially colorful, bouncy detergent pods.

Further, many cleaning products are now available in dissolvable pods, which are particularly appealing to kids, as they are usually colorful and have a squishy, bouncy consistency. But because they are designed to quickly disintegrate, it doesn’t take much handling for the detergent to spill out and potentially come in contact with the eyes. 

How to prevent eye injuries: Always store cleaning products out of reach of children, preferably in locked cabinets. Make sure you use cleaning products in well-ventilated areas and wear safety glasses and gloves when handling harsh chemicals.

If chemicals get into your eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and seek emergency medical care. Quick action can prevent severe damage and preserve your vision.

7. Bungee cords

Bungee cords seem endlessly useful for securing items, but they can snap back or fly off, potentially causing extremely serious eye injuries like lacerations, abrasions, bleeding, traumatic cataracts, or retina damage. An observational study on bungee cord-related eye injuries found that a staggering 59% of these eye injuries resulted in permanent vision loss, three of the patients lost the perception of light in the injured eye, and one patient had to have their blind eye removed due to pain. 

How to prevent eye injuries: We recommend disposing of bungee cords and replacing them with ratchet straps or static rope.

Seeking Care for Eye Injuries

Anyone who experiences an eye injury, even seemingly minor, should see an experienced ophthalmologist to prevent long-term damage and preserve vision. Seek immediate care if you suspect that something may be stuck in your eye.

Led by Dr. Jordan Stanley, a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist, PureSight Surgical provides transparent pricing for ophthalmology services to save you both time and money. There are no hidden fees, so you always know what to expect.

Whether you need a medical eye exam, cataract surgery, glaucoma management, or you are curious about ICL vision correction, we offer affordable care without the middlemen. We’re locally-owned and operated, and we take ample time to get to know you—a critical part of providing excellent care. Learn more about our patient-first approach on our website! To make an appointment, please call our Marietta office at (770) 230-2020.