Materials escaping from equipment on a construction site or in a work center can hurl through the air and strike a worker in the eye. Approximately 2,000 eye injuries occur every day on the job, and two out of three employees with a work-related eye injury are aged 25 to 44, according to Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving sight.

Fortunately, almost all work-related eye injuries could be avoided by wearing appropriate glasses, goggles, or face masks.

The human eye is surrounded by a structure of bone covered with soft tissue. A blow to the eye can immediately break blood vessels under the skin resulting in bruising that can look terrible. If the skin around the eye is broken, blood will flow from the open wound, adding to the woeful appearance of the injury. Add these factors to the importance of vision in our daily lives, and it’s understandable that any injury to the eye can raise alarms.

Actually, the appearance is usually worse than the condition when it comes to eye injuries.

The combination of soft tissue and hard bone protects the hollow where the eye inhabits a small island of membranes, nerves and vessels. Further protection can come from the reflexes of the human eye that force the eyelids shut when something is hurled towards it, and the body’s instincts that shield the head and face from injury.

Still, eye injuries should never be taken lightly. Vision is too important to risk losing it by failing to wear protective gear or by ignoring pain in the eye or difficulty seeing.

The majority of eye injuries in the workplace are caused by blunt blows to the face by objects that are larger than the eye cavity itself. Blood may collect in the front part of the eye and block vision as it settles.

Another injury from a blow to the eye is the detachment of the retina. Though painless, a detached retina can cause blurred vision, flashing lights, and the sensation that light is being blocked. Both of these conditions require expert medical attention.

A more common eye injury is caused by the scratch of rough material against the eye when a person tries to rub a foreign object out of the eyes. Most of these scratches heal on their own but can be painful and annoying until they do.

Keep your work team updated on the latest techniques for first aid when a fellow employee experiences an eye injury. Even more important, make sure employees are equipped with appropriate eye gear when they are around flying objects, mists, dust, or other materials that could harm the eye.