According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were more than 210,000 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2005, the most recent year for which data is available.
About 6,000 of those were injuries to the eyes of children under age 15.
"Any toy that can eject or propel an object can lead to a serious eye injury if used incorrectly," said David Coats, MD, clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
Sports equipment, a popular gift, should include protective eyewear. Sports-related eye injuries are common and can cause permanent vision loss, accounting for about 40,000 eye injuries annually.
"If you plan to give sports equipment, provide appropriate protective gear, such as helmets, facemasks or goggles with polycarbonate lenses," said Dr. Coats.
December is Safe Toys and Celebrations Month and the American Academy of Ophthalmology is reminding parents of the potential risks from inappropriate playthings as they may pose danger to children's eyes.
"This includes innocuous appearing toys such as a popgun or a paddleball set." Among the patients Dr. Coats' has treated for injuries from toys is a boy who suffered a severe hemorrhage inside his eye after being shot with a potato gun.
