Children's Toys & Eye Emergencies

Choosing the right toys for your child should be an eye-safety concern for every parent. Discover tips from our Calgary kid’s eye doctor on how to choose age-appropriate toys & prevent eye emergencies.

While toys are an important part of your child’s visual development, the use of unsafe and inappropriate toys is one of the most common causes of eye emergencies, including those that can cause permanent vision loss.

To ensure your child’s eye-health, follow these tips from our experienced kid’s eye doctors on how to choose toys that protect the safety of their vision.

Our Calgary kid’s eye doctors are committed to protect your child’s eye-health and reduce the number of toy-related eye emergencies in Canada.

Here are a few eye-safety tips to consider:

• Avoid purchasing toys with sharp, protruding or projectile parts.
• Make sure children have appropriate adult supervision when playing with potentially hazardous toys or games that could cause eye injuries.
• Check labels for age recommendations and be sure to select gifts that are appropriate for a child's age and maturity.
• Keep toys that are made for older children away from younger children.
• If your child experiences a toy-related eye injury, contact one of our qualified optometrists immediately for emergency eye care.

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4 Kinds of Toys That Pose A High Risk For Eye Emergencies

This christmas season, you may want to cross off these 4 types of toys from your list. Each has a high potential risk for eye injuries - especially if used without adult supervision.

1. Projectile Guns

This includes airsoft guns, BB guns and paintball guns. Such toys can propel foreign objects into the sensitive tissue of the eye and cause serious damage to your child’s vision.

2. Water guns/ Water balloon launchers

Water balloons can cause blunt trauma to the eye, resulting in a retinal detachment and permanent vision loss. Even toy guns that shoot a stream of water can cause potentially serious eye injuries, especially when used at close range.

3. Toy fishing poles

The sharp, protruding end of a fishing pole or objects secured to the end of the fishing line can easily end up in your child’s or a playmates eye, creating a serious eye emergency.

4. Aerosol string

The chemicals in these products can cause eye irritation and a type of pink eye called chemical conjunctivitis. When used at a close range, aerosol string can also cause a corneal abrasion, leading to serious eye infections.

What You Should Do During An Eye Emergency

However, there are a few things to keep in mind during such a situation to ensure that you minimize any potential damage.

• If your child’s eye is injured with a sharp object: DO NOT press on the eyelid or attempt to remove it. Instead, cover the eye with a shield (such as the cut-out bottom of a foam cup) and seek emergency eye care immediatley.
• If your child has spilled a chemical substance in his/her eye: Flush your child’s eye with water for at least 20 minutes and contact your kid’s eye doctor straight away.
• If your child is hit in the eye with a blunt object: Examine his/her eye closely. If you see bleeding or cannot open your child’s eyelid to observe normal looking pupils, contact an eye care professional immediately.

Emergency Services

Call Today

To find out more about our children’s eye exams or to book an appointment with one of our kid’s eye doctors, call our Calgary eye clinic at 403-280-7518 or use our online contact form below.