PSA: Wear eye protection...

[FS7]

Many of us often forget to wear safety glasses. I wear mine sometimes for things that obviously make a lot of dust or sparks, but not all the time. Six days ago I was drilling out a metal bracket with a step bit to widen a hole, and I remember feeling the metal shavings on my arm being hot and rather sharp. What I did not feel was the metal shaving that lodged in my cornea. After increasing pain and lots of eye rinsing, I ended up going to the ophthalmologist, and he said "do you somehow not feel the piece of metal stuck in your eyeball?" It could have been so much worse and I'm thankful it was a relatively simple fix, but even so, it all could have been avoided with five seconds of putting on my glasses.

[daddo]

Something tinier than a grain of sand can ruin your whole day.

I remember the piece of metal in my eye I carried for days until I did the same as you. It was scary when the Opto guy used a drill looking thing that sounded like a dentists drill to clean it out- dang scary. The metal piece had rusted in there.

[chips ahoy]

Having the use of only one eye.Loss of right eye was not woodworking related.I always wear a full face shield while turning or using the mini grinder.Having one is better than having none.Check Gear Jammers post on this issue as well.

Mel

[goaliedad]

I did the rusty eyeball thing years ago. Once is enough thank you

[BrokenOlMarine]

Just reading this post makes my eyes water....

I always wear protection.. eye protection... drilled into me from my shooting days.
You never know.

[Steve N]

Something tinier than a grain of sand can ruin your whole day.

I remember the piece of metal in my eye I carried for days until I did the same as you. It was scary when the Opto guy used a drill looking thing that sounded like a dentists drill to clean it out- dang scary. The metal piece had rusted in there.

Can you still see where the rust was? If you wait too long, even after they drill it out, it will mar your vision forever. I'm told it's like a halo, shadow, but wherever it was if you look out that angle, its' like a ghost waiting on ya. Thankfully mine have all been wood, just a PIA, errr actually PIE......

[Steve N]

Just a jump in. maybe I am just really unlucky. I have worn safety glasses anytime I would work with any tools, except a welder then it's safety glasses covered by a flash shield. Actually in later years I have taken to either goggles, or safety glasses and a face shield.

I have had 4, count em 4 Corneal abrasions (little scratches on your eyes surface that mess with your vision), decrease your ability to see, and just plain hurt. Usually it's the hurt that drives you to see a Doctor. All 4 times I was just wearing safety glasses with side shields, they are a great idea, but not a guarantee something still can't make it to your eye.

3 times I felt it hit my cheek, before my eye started stinging. The 4th time was just weird. Went to a friends shop, he often works alone, and yet seems to get a LOT of visitors. He built a vestibule opening into his shop. You enter, and flip a switch, which turns on a light, when he sees the light he comes, and opens the inner door.

Problem was I have a key, heard the TS running but it was cold out, so I let myself in, as he has invited me to do. My thought was I would just get out of the cold, wait until he was done with his cut, so I didn't scare him, and maybe cause an accident. So I was inside, he was cutting plywood. The TS is about 50' in front of where I was standing. Next I knew my eye was burning, safety glasses on, didn't feel it hit my cheek, so no idea how it hit my eye, and from that distance?????

Corneal Abrasion, 50 bux at the local Urgent Care. At least I got to see my buddy who works there, he's a woodworker too. He started laughing, and said he's on the fence about saying the heck with the safety glasses and start wearing a motorcycle helmet with a face shield, he's had a few too, and said it's not uncommon.

[FS7]

Something tinier than a grain of sand can ruin your whole day.

I remember the piece of metal in my eye I carried for days until I did the same as you. It was scary when the Opto guy used a drill looking thing that sounded like a dentists drill to clean it out- dang scary. The metal piece had rusted in there.

Funny, that's the same thing I remember. Feeling and hearing metal on metal scraping and grinding (the embedded metal and the removal tool) IN YOUR EYE is like nails on a chalkboard times a thousand. Of course after that, the doctor nonchalantly mentioned having to get the rust out.

The darn safety glasses hang right next to the step drill bit. That's the worst part.

[Cecil]

I always wear safety glasses.  I have worn glasses since I was a young child, so wearing safety glasses full time in the shop is just as natural as breathing for me.

Last year I was sharpening my chain saw using a Dremel tool.  A post accident review help me to realize I was dropping my head and looking over the top of my glasses for close work.  I got my subscription updated after the fact, so the bi-focals actually work. I also picked up a full face shield for shop use as well.

When the eye surgeon pulled out the tool to buff my cornea, which looked like a Dremel, I said "wait a minute, that is what got me here in the first place."  We both had a chuckle, then he proceeded to stick that thing in my eye.

[Lynden]

Safety glasses are not enough when working with a bench grinder or angle grinder. Wheels and discs can break apart and the shrapnel can cause serious injuries to the face and neck. Wear a full face shield. Check the expiration date on grinding wheels and abrasive discs.

https://www.google.com/search?client=saf...ation+date