Playing with a toy stimulates a child’s vision at a young age and grows their imagination as they get older. As a parent, it is important to consider toy eye safety before purchasing for the children in your life. Typically, toys are deemed unsafe because they are not age-appropriate for the child. Here are some common toy-related injuries and tips for choosing eye safe toys!
Toy-Related Eye Injuries
Each year more than a quarter of a million children were seen in emergency rooms due to toy-related injuries. Nearly half of these injuries were to the head and face. In a survey conducted by AllAboutVision.com, 41% of parents say they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ considered eye safety when choosing toys. When asked if any of the toys their children own could cause harm to their eyes 54% of parents responded ‘definitely,’ and 22% said ‘possibly.’
We encourage you to consider eye safety everytime you purchase a toy. Toys that pose a higher risk for eye injuries include:
- Toy Guns
- Water Balloon Launchers
- Toy Fishing Poles
- Toy Wands, Swords, Sabers
- Aerosol String
- Laser Pointers and Bright Flashlights
Tips for Choosing Eye Safe Toys
Anytime you are purchasing toys for someone else’s child, be sure to discuss with the parent if the toy sounds fitting for their child. Parent’s know the maturity and personality of their child which plays a huge factor into whether a toy would be suitable or not suitable for their child. Check the recommended age range for the toy. This is usually a good way to determine the safety of the toy. However, don’t be afraid to trust your gut and use your common sense to assess the safety of a toy! We also recommend shopping in a store rather than online. When shopping in a store, you can see the features of the toy and make better judgments to the safety of the toy.
Toy eye safety is an important consideration for all parents. If you have more questions please reach out to our office, we want to help you protect your child’s eyes.