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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Toy-related eye injuries pose danger to youngsters

Tracy Wheeler Akron Beacon Journal

“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”

The classic phrase from the movie “A Christmas Story” was the punch line to young Ralphie’s desperate requests for a BB gun at Christmas.

Such a warning, though, is no laughing matter, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

While lead paint has gotten most of the attention as a toy hazard this holiday season, the group wants parents to know that some toys can pose a danger to children’s eyes, too – whether it’s Ralphie’s “Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle,” paintball guns, darts or even potato guns.

In 2005, 6,000 children under the age of 15 were treated for toy-related eye injuries in America’s emergency rooms, according to the group.

“Any toy that can eject or propel an object can lead to a serious eye injury if used incorrectly,” said Dr. David Coats, a clinical correspondent for the ophthalmology academy and a pediatric ophthalmologist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. “This includes innocuous-appearing toys such as a popgun or a paddle ball set.”

The key is for parents to choose toys that are appropriate for their child’s age, abilities, maturity and the parent’s willingness to supervise use of the toy. Prevent Blindness America suggests avoiding toys with sharp edges or hard points, spikes and rods, as well as those that fly or shoot.

When buying sports equipment as a gift, the group says, it’s important to buy appropriate protective eyewear, too. Sports-related eye injuries account for about 40,000 eye injuries a year.

And it’s not just the Red Ryder BB gun that can shoot your eye out; watch out for champagne corks, too. Eye injuries from improperly opened bottles of champagne are among the most common holiday-related hazards, the group says.

Some tips to open champagne safely:

•Make sure the champagne is chilled to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit and not recently shaken. The cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly.

•Hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood. Point the bottle away from yourself and others at a 45-degree angle. Place a towel over the entire top and grasp the cork, slowly and firmly twisting it to break the seal. Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle.