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Ophthalmologist Group Warns of Toy Related Eye Injuries
December 28, 2007

While parents have been worried about lead-coated toys, they might have been unaware of other dangers lurking in their children's innocent-looking playthings. The American Academy of Ophthalmologists have warned of toys that can cause serious eye injuries.

In 2005, about 6000 of the approximately 210,000 toy-related injuries that had parents rushing their kids to emergency rooms, were connected to eye injuries in kids under the age of 15.

One ophthalmologist has specifically pointed out paintball guns, darts and pellet guns as having the most potential for causing an eye injury.

If you're a parent who's worried about the safety factor in your child's activities, don't wait for a company to announce a recall to keeps your kids safe. Even when a company announces a recall it takes days or even weeks for all offending products to be snatched off store shelves. Many defective toys can be found selling briskly on online stores even after recalls have been announced.

For best protection, use basic common sense when you purchase toys. While it's not possible for you to detect toys that are coated with lead, you can buy toys that are age appropriate for kids by avoiding ones with small and removable parts or magnets, if your child is too young. Recently passed laws make it mandatory for toy manufacturers to mention whether a toy has removable magnets and the possible effects of these on the packaging. The law will take effect in 2008. If you have a toddler or infant at home, don't buy the magnet toys even for your older children. Kids tend to share toys and your infant could end up ingesting a magnet from a toy that belongs to his sibling. Also keep any kind of projectile toys away from young children.

Even with the large number of China-related toy recalls, there haven't been many signs that toys manufactured in that country are going to be arriving in the US in fewer numbers. In a case like this, recalls are more than just a remote possibility. Waiting for a recall to warn you about a toy's dangers can be hazardous. Take utmost care while purchasing your children's toys, and avoid anything that poses even the smallest amount of danger.

If your child has been injured by an unsafe toy, contact the California personal injury lawyers at The Reeves Law Group, immediately, for a free consultation.

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