Wear your SAFETY GLASSES!!!

[Cambo]

Hope you have a speedy recovery sorry to hear about the injury . When something happens it makes you realize how important it is to protect them . I have sustained a few eye injuries nothing that bad I keep multiple types of eye protection in the garage any garage mechanic should absolutely keep several types around . Things that have hit my eyes, grinding ceramic tile with a dry blade shard of tile glaze lodged in my eye . Weed whacking being hit by stones and the worst was drilling a hole under a truck with googles on felt the pieces hit the googles then went for a ride on my dirt bike a shard of steel must have been stuck on my head and fell inside the goggle the wind whipped it up and it lodged in my eye. That landed me in the emergency room and they picked it out with a needle ouch. As the title says wear your safety glasses , googles or even a face shield .

 

[biglar155]

First of all, I'm really sorry to hear that this happened to you. I hope you have a quick recovery.

Second, THANK YOU for posting your experience. When things like this hit close to home, it makes everyone realize that yes, it CAN happen to you.

I'm a bit of a safety-glasses-fanatic. You'd THINK I got that from 25 years of working in heavy industry, but you'd be mistaken: When I was a kid they used to run a Public Service Ad on one of the local stations. The ad showed a construction worker hammering a nail into wood. He wasn't wearing safety glasses. Suddenly, the video went slow-motion as a tiny piece of the nail broke off and went into the worker's eye.

The idea of this terrified me as a child and - obviously - has stuck with me. I always wear my safety glasses and I make my kids wear them whenever doing something that requires them. I won't mow the lawn or pour drain cleaner into a sink without safety glasses on.

Here's a little tidbit most people don't know: There is something called the "eraser' test. Your glasses should fit very close to your face. If you can get a pencil eraser between the edge of your safety glasses and your face, you need to find a pair that fits better.

I can tell you from experience that this is a pain, but well worth the time. Since implementing this "fit test," my company has seen a huge reduction in eye injuries.

 

[Rushfan67]

Thank you for posting your experience. I know I have been guilty in the past of not wearing Safety Glasses. Prayers for you and your family on a full recovery.

 

[2kwik4u]

Thanks @njmr2fan for posting and well wishes on a speedy recovery.

I've actually moved to a set of 3m safety glasses as my go to sunglasses. They're my daily wear now. While I picked up the "habit" as a manner of being cheap and wearing $7 sunglasses. I find myself wearing them when cutting the lawn, running the weed eater, riding the bicycle, etc. Lots of potential for injury there where I used to just wear cheap drug store lenses.

I'll be picking up a 3pack of 3M clears at Home Depot today as a result of this post. I often toss the sunglasses aside when working indoors or in the garage. Same fit as the dark ones juts better visibility.

I'll post up the package if anyone has any interest. They're $7/pair in a single pack, have excellent optical clarity and are reasonably comfortable.

 

[Speedling]

Pro tip:
Plenty of decent sunglasses on Amazon that are safety rated.
I get ones that are mirrored and z87+ and polarized they cost like 10-12 bucks. They are always in my trucks because I WANT to wear them especially driving.

 

[Jores]

Thanks for the reminder and I hope you heel up quick- I'm a retired Tool and Model Maker and leave safety glasses all over my garage and work space- they're cheap and if within easy reach I'll grab them.

 

[merlinjet]

Thx for the heads up! Hope you have a speedy recovery!

 

[njmr2fan]

I would like to thank all of you who sent well wishes and prayers. My prayers have definitely been answered.

Months earlier than I (or even my surgeon) anticipated, the glue and stitches repairing my torn cornea have been removed. During a vision test afterward, I was able to read the 20/20 line on an eye chart!

My doctor looked at me, shook her head, and said.... "You are a miracle. Not only did you not lose your eye like most people with a trauma like yours, you got your stitches out 3+ months early, and then you show me 20/20 vision! You should be very thankful!" ...and I am! This past summer when I could do nothing, (no swimming, no boating, no lifting, pushing, pulling,etc) I read forums (with 1 eye), I read your well wishes (sometimes over and over). They all gave me hope and strength when I needed it most, and for that I'm really grateful.

I still have a lot of healing left to do, and will have to be watched for cataracts (they develop after traumas like mine) but for now, I'm happy, thankful, and very grateful to all of you.?

 

[Lpennington]

Great to hear. I didn't see your original post but that was very unselfish of you to send a word of caution out to others as you were going thru this. The good karma was with you.

 

[Jgorm]

Ouch! Heal up quick. I'm religious with ppe. I exploded a drill bit drilling metal without glasses, it bound up and shot a spear that stuck in my cheek. I've pulled numerous metal and wood splinters out of my eyeballs. I probably have a dozen pairs scattered around my shop. I walk in and put them on.

 

[tdonoughue]

Great news! Congratulations. My brother had a similar thing happen (hitting a stuck piece on an air conditioner with a hammer and a chunk flew off into his eye). So I am absolutely fanatical about the PPE for the eyes. Thanks for the reminder, tho. We all need a reminder.

Keep up the good healing.

 

[Gym]

Great news @njmr2fan. I think you should change your forum name to @seemore.

 

[swatski]

Dammm. Glad you are healing so well!!!

Thanks for posting, this is very educational.

Me, being past the stage when "presbyopia" usually occurs, my nearsighted eyes still see well up-close — if I remove my eyeglasses....

Of course, with my glasses removed, distance vision is blurred, so I need to put my glasses back on to see clearly across the room/garage. After reading your story, I will be making extra effort to have eye protection in place up-close, too.

--

 

[BigN8]

Thanks for sharing your story, and I hope you heal back to 100% quickly. Your story will reinforce my willingness to don safety glasses around the house. Just last Saturday I was doing yard work. It was middle of the day and the heat index was about 102F and I was sweating like a whore in church. I decided to not wear my safety glasses while using the weed eater to do the fence trimming. I figured, I'll be quick, I'm not edging with it, and the head is roughly 5' below my eyes. Was cruising along the fence when all of the sudden. WHACK! Something small hit my right eye square on the eye ball off to the side. It felt like I got punched in the eye literally. Then the sweat ran into the eye, followed by the immediate response of rubbing it. Now my eye was on fire. I quit the yard work, went inside, flushed it with water then eye drops and chilled out for a bit. When I tried to go back out to finish the sunlight was hurting my eye. I literally could not keep it open due to the sunlight. I decided to take it easy the rest of the day and watch football.

The eye is fine after some rest, and I did not go to the ER or anything. But that incident combined with your story and picture has cemented my willingness to make safety glasses a must have PPE around my house!

 

[bolivas]

@njmr2fan Glad to see you are recovering faster than anticipated!

Your story about your supportive family was touching and hit me in the feels (must be allergy season). I had to retire from the FD early due to an on the job injury and went through some of those emotional times where you have to ask for help. It is tough enough to do as a father, but ever harder when you have spent a career taking care of others. I too have an amazing wife and kids who were super supportive! They stepped up and were there for me when I needed them. Thank you for your service and best wishes for a continued recovery Brother!