Just about all cars on the road today
have both airbags and seat belts. This combination of air bags and safety belts
are important safety features that have saved nay lives and helped to prevent
injury. But, did you know that airbags and improper use of safety belts can
actually lead to eye injury!
A recent report in Survey
of Ophthalmology suggests
that the incidence of eye injury and facial trauma from airbags is increasing.
How can this be happening? Airbags were originally designed as a supplemental safety system to seatbelts,
to protect the head from hard surfaces in frontal crashes. It is critical that
all passengers wear their seatbelts even if your car has airbags in the front,
back and sides of the passenger cabin because the seatbelts restrict and
prevent you from being quickly and forcefully thrown forward and colliding with
the rearward inflating and accelerating airbags as they are deployed during a car
accident. Airbag deployment and
passenger collision with airbags has been reported to cause eye injuries
including corneal abrasions, alkali burns and the serious effects of eye
compression such as retinal tears, retinal and vitreous hemorrhages, retinal
detachment and even cataracts. SO-the message is clear. For eye protection
and safety in motor vehicle accidents, all occupants of cars should wear safety
belts at all times even if your vehicle has airbags!
If
you or someone you know has questions about eye injury from airbags please
contact D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care or
facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help recommend an appropriate
treatment plan.
D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.
D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.
