Last week we discussed what employees should consider when deciding whether and what kinds of contact lenses to wear in an industrial workplace. This week, we'll look at how to care for the contact lenses after you get your prescription.

The Four Materials You Need

There are four things you need at the workplace to properly care for contact lenses.

1. Lubricants

Contact lenses dry-out during use. We blink less when we tire. This causes the lens to dry. Dust and debris in the workplace also contribute to the drying process.

It's therefore necessary to use a contact lens lubricant to maintain the proper moistness level and maintain contact lens performance during the workday. It's important to use the right kind of lubricant. Long gone are the days when saliva could be used for lubrication. Drops designed for "getting the red" out of your eyes will permanently destroy a contact lens if used while the contacts are on the eye.

2. Carrying Case

In my experience, most contact lens loss or damage can be traced to the fact that no case was available. When filled with fresh solution, a carrying case provides the safest way to store a contact lens. A glass of water is not a safe or sterile alternative.

3. Back-up Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are generally uncomfortable when debris builds up on the lens surface, a rip or tear develops along the lens edge or a crack occurs in the body of the lens. A back-up contact lens allows the employee to replace the uncomfortable lens with a fresh one. If the eye is still uncomfortable or irritated, the employee should remove the contact lens and consult the eye doctor.

4. Safety glasses

What better way to continue your workday endeavors safely and comfortably than by using your safety glasses? They won't help you if they're at home on the dresser. The safety glasses prescription should also be up-to-date. If the prescription is over two-years-old, chances are you won't see as well as you should to perform your best on the job.

Conclusion

To maintain proper eye health, employees must be sure to properly care for their contact lenses. And wearing non-prescription protective eyewear over the contacts is essential to guard against eye injuries. Next week, we'll look at what employers and first responders must know about contact lenses in the work environment.

MEMBER REPLIES

Contact Lenses and Welding

With regard to the article on Contact Lenses & the Workplace, another risk not mentioned is to evaluate your risk to weld flash. Contact lenses can become adhered or welded to the eye when exposed to weld flash, even by inadvertent or glancing exposure. This will necessitate surgical intervention for removal.

Anonymous

Teak Surfing: If the CO Doesn't Get You, the Prop Will

I read the article about Teak Surfing. One point that I would hope all would realize (however since some people do this, they must not appreciate the danger) is that the boat's drive system is only, at the most, a couple of feet away from the people hanging on the swim platform. Whether the drive system is a water jet or a prop spinning at several thousand RPM, the danger is considerable. Whatever system is in use, it is powerful enough to move a boat of multiple thousands of pounds through the water at up to 30 to 40 miles per hour. That's a LOT of energy being expended at most just a couple of feet away from the person's body.

All things considered, I'd rather take my chances with the CO than to tangle with a prop. Both are deadly, but one acts much faster and has a much smaller chance of recovery without serious injury.

BTW, in my younger and dumber days some friends and I did virtually the same thing behind cars on a frozen roadway by hanging on the bumper. Not really too wise, huh?

Bill Hawkins

PRODUCT RECALL

Tube Kites Pulled From Market

Sportsstuff Wego Kite Tubes

A few weeks ago, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers about the dangers associated with tube kiting. In cooperation with the CPSC, Sportsstuff Wego Kite Tubes has voluntarily recalled approximately 19,000 Wego Kite Tubes.

Sportsstuff has received reports of numerous serious injuries associated with the product, as well as two deaths. While the company says it's been unable to determine the precise cause of each incident, it has undertaken the voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.

Sportsstuff's Wego Kite Tube is a yellow, circular, 10-foot-wide inflatable watercraft with Model 53-5000 printed near the product valve. Consumers are advised to stop using the kite tube immediately and to contact the company at 866.831.5524 for information on product replacement.

SUMMER SAFETY

Tube Kiting

by Catherine Jones

This latest form of summer fun is growing fast in popularity - and notoriety. Tube kites, inflatable watercraft hooked by tow rope to the back of a boat, allow tube riders to become airborne. As the boat approaches speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour, the tube rider pulls back on the rope and the tube kite is lifted high into the air, soaring above the water. It's not hard to see the hazards.

There have been at least two deaths associated with tube kiting and numerous serious injuries, including a broken neck, punctured lung, broken ribs, broken femur, chest and back injuries and facial injuries.

According to the CPSC, some possible reasons for these incidents include:

• the tube is hard to control
• the tube's reaction is unpredictable in certain weather conditions (particularly wind gusts that spin the tube out of control)
• boat operator inexperience
• sudden slowing or stopping of the boat

The new sport is now the subject of great public scrutiny and has already been banned in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the site of at least four serious incidents.

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