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Zorro had the right idea
Protective face masks were originally designed for long-term use in work environments where particles can get trapped in the lungs and cause serious health problems. And masks are used effectively to impede the spread of infectious, air-borne diseases. But beyond their uses in protecting you from occupational health risks, face masks can protect you from the other hazards of daily life: smog, pollen, perfume, fumes from cleaning products, even bad breath.
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Eye Patch Uses
Eye patches are for both temporary and permanent use. Individuals with conjuctivitis, lazy eye, cataracts, glaucoma, and many other eye conditions are good candidates for an eye patch.
Make Sure the Fit Is Comfortable
How well your eye patch suits your needs has a lot to do with its quality. Most pharmacies carry only low-end eye patches designed for temporary wear. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about medical supply stores that carry a wider range of eye patches. You can also buy high-quality eye patches and through mail order and on the internet.
- Eye patches are not designed to be worn indiscriminantly over either eye. There is a left fit and a right fit, so be sure to indicate which eye you need the patch for when ordering.
- A good eye patch should leave enough room between your eye and the patch so that your eyelashes do not hit the patch. If needed, it may have enough space to accomodate an eye-pad to absorb secretions.
- Eye patches should provide enough air circulation to allow the eye to breathe.
- Eye patches should be rigid enough to protect your eye from getting injured if something hits the patch.
- Make sure that your eye patch doesn't give you a headache. If the strap is uncomfortable, try adjusting it.
- Some patches are one-size-fits-all, while others are not. It is possible to custom-order eye patches in the event that you would like a larger one to cover a surrounding scar or a smaller one for a child.
Masks Provide Protection From Harm
Masks are designed to protect the wearer from the ingestion of harmful airborne particles as well as to prevent the spreading of infectious diseases or viruses. Some masks are designed for temporary use while others are designed for industrial purposes and made to be worn for long periods of time. You may even purchase masks that are designed to protect you from biological or germ warfare. These products are typically sold overseas and meet the standards of the country from which they originate, not the FDA.
If you are in constant need of a mask because of allergies or your work environment, consult a doctor about choosing the best mask for you and learn about other measures you can take to protect yourself. Never choose a mask without the advice of a health professional, especially if it is to be used for long period of time. It is important that you choose a mask with the appropriate amount of protection.
Individuals working in environments with airborne particles should ask their employer to cover the costs of their mask(s). It is the employer's responsibility to provide employees with a healthy working environment. Check also with your insurance company to see if they will cover the costs of protective masks.
Fit Is Essential For Protection
- Masks range from simple products made of paper to more advanced models designed for wear during such activities as athletics.
- More advanced products have replaceable filters that claim to filter out pollen, carbon, and house dust while at the same time providing protection against smoke, lead, and tar.
- Most drugstores only carry paper masks or those of lower quality. Ask your employer or your doctor about medical supply stores that offer a wider range of choices.
- Some masks are one-size-fits-all while others are sized. Remember to ask when you are ordering.
- The choice between a disposable mask and a reusable one is your own. If you are using a mask for industrial purposes, a paper mask will most likely not provide you with enough protection.
- If the mask you choose has filters, ask how much the filters cost and how often they need to be replaced to help you determine the final cost.
- If you have to wear protective eyewear with your mask, make sure you can comfortably wear the two together and that the mask does not fog up the eyewear.
- If you have a beard, make sure the mask fits over it and forms an appropriate seal around the beard to protect your mouth and nose.
- The fit should be perfect -- not just for your comfort, but for your safety as well.
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Using Eye Patches
- An injured eye often blinks less and is more prone to infection or drying out, particularly if sensation has been lost or reduced in the injured eye. An eye patch helps protect the eye from debris and dirt.
- Eye patches are also for individuals who prefer not to reveal their eye injuries or eye conditions.
- Eye patches can also prevent spreading infection. Wearing an eye patch when you have an eye infection can prevent you from spreading the infection to other people or your other eye.
Using Masks
- Masks are designed to prevent the inhalation of harmful airborne particles into the nose and mouth.
- Masks are also designed to prevent the spread of infectious airborne diseases.
- Designed for temporary, one-time use as well as long-term everyday use, masks are made for a variety of purposes.
- Masks may be helpful for the following individuals:
- People with allergies
- Individuals working in industrial situations where there are airborne particles
- Individuals who wish to reduce the amount of pollutant gases inhaled.
What Masks Do
- Masks create a filter around the nose and mouth through which small airborne particles cannot enter.
- Masks must also allow spent carbon dioxide to pass through the mask efficiently so wearers do not re-inhale spent air.
Before Using Eye Patches, Consider These Things
If you think your eye is experiencing discomfort and may need protection, consider the following factors to help you isolate the cause: - Is your vision blurred?
- Do your eyes itch, sting, or produce excessive amounts of secretion? Or not enough?
- Do you have known allergies?
- What is the appearance of your eyes? Are they red and bloodshot?
- Do you have diabetes?
- Do you wear contact lenses?
- Do you use any hair products or cosmetics that may irritate your eyes?
- Is there pain in your eyes?
- Do you ever borrow other people's cosmetics?
- What is your work environment like? Should you be wearing protective eyewear?
- Do you have nodules or bumps on your eyelids?
- Have you experienced blunt trauma recently?
- If you have answered yes to any of these questions after having sought over-the-counter treatment, your eye problems may need medical treatment as they could be indicative of a larger problem.
What If My Eyes Are Just Dry?
- Dry eye is a common disorder.
- When the tear layer is not functioning properly, the tear ducts respond by producing inadequate amounts of tears.
- Dry eye is considered a part of the aging process as it can be brought on by a loss of resilience in the eyelid, rheumatoid arthritis, and various medications.
- Did you know that antihistamines and even antidepressants can cause dry eye?
- The way to treat dry eye is through artificial tears and lubrication.
- In general, try to use artificial tears and lubricants without preservatives. Those lacking preservatives have been shown to be more effective. Just be sure to keep the bottles clean and uncontaminated, and do not use them past their expiration date.
What Type of Mask Do I Need?
- Check with your doctor to make sure that your mask adequately serves your needs.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the care and cleaning of your mask to ensure that it works properly and lasts as long as possible.
- If you are relying on your mask to protect you from airborne infectious diseases or to prevent spreading them, remember to store and handle your mask carefully.
How to Put on a Mask
- Wash your hands before removing your mask and wash your hands before putting it on.
- Loosen the straps.
- Place the mask over your mouth and nose and hold it snugly in place.
- Adjust the straps so that the mask is secure over your face.
- Wear the straps above your ears if possible. This will prevent the mask from slipping down.
- Make sure you can breathe properly.
- To assure that your mask is on properly, exhale a few strong breaths and touch the edges of the mask to feel for any openings.
- If you find any, loosen the straps, remove the mask, and start over.
Avoid Inhaling Dangerous Substances
If you are routinely exposed to any of the following substances or work in these industries, it is advisable to use a mask. Your employer should have information about the protection you may need in the workplace.- Asbestos: mining, milling, building, pipe fitters.
- Free silica: foundry work, quarrying (especially granite), sandblasting, tunneling.
- Coal dust: mining.
- Berylliosis: high-tech ceramics, ceramics, fluorescent light manufacture, and alloys.
- Cotton dust: production of cotton, linen, rope, flax, hemp, and any industry that handles cotton prior to spinning.
- Grain dust: If you are working in the grain industry, not only do the particles pose a threat (one-third are small enough to be inhaled) but also the mold spores that may develop on the grain.
- Toxic chemicals: Individuals who work in the production of synthetic materials, such as plastics or polyurethanes.
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See a Doctor Immediately For Eye Emergencies:
- If you think you have a foreign body within your eye or under your eyelid. Do not attempt to extract it yourself.
- If your eyes have had contact with a chemical and your vision has been compromised, is blurry, or your eye is experiencing pain.
- If you experience sensitivity when your eyes are exposed to light. This may be indicative of a larger problem or a drug side-effect.
- If you have discharge and discomfort that does not respond to eye washes and eye drops.
- If you are experiencing episodes in which eyesight is completely compromised, whether in one eye or both.
Be Careful When Your Vision Is Compromised
- If your vision has been temporarily compromised, do not drive or operate heavy machinery.
- Compromised vision, whether it is fleeting or long-term, can be a sign of anything from a minor infection to something far more serious, such as a brain tumor. Consult a doctor.
Proper Masks May Help Protect You
- Always defer to the highest level of protection when choosing a mask
- If your employer provides masks for you that have been approved by your worker's association or union, use them. Do not use masks that have not been approved for use by professionals in your industry as they may provide inadequate protection.
- A work site that contains potentially harmful pollutants is required to post readily visible notices detailing the nature of the pollutant and the precise measures that must be taken in order for you to protect yourself. Make sure you follow these instructions.
- Get regular chest X-rays and make sure your doctor is aware of your profession. Particles need not be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) to do damage. Particles of grain lodged in the lungs have been known to cause cancer.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. American Medical Association.The American Medical Association: Guide to your family's symptoms. Washington, D.C.: American Pharmaceutical Association 1992.
- 2. Fauci, Anthony S. et al. Eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. New York: MacGraw Hill 1998.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
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