Avoid Eye Injury from Airbags in Car Accidents

While it might not be immediately obvious, airbags can cause eye injury during car accidents if you don’t use BOTH seatbelts and airbags as they were intended.  Airbags TOGETHER with seat belts are important safety features in cars today-but only when used properly.

Research on Eye Injury from Airbags

According to a study in Survey of Ophthalmology the incidence of eye injury and facial trauma from airbags is actually increasing. You ask, “Why is this happening?”  Airbags were originally designed as a part of a supplemental safety system to seatbelts in order to protect against head trauma that would result from hitting hard surfaces during car accidents.  Seatbelts restrict and restrain forward movement that can be quite forceful stop you from being quickly and forcefully thrown forward and colliding with the rearward inflating and accelerating airbags as they are deployed during a car accident. Thus, it is critical that all passengers wear their seatbelts even if your car has airbags in the front, back and sides of the passenger cabin!

Types of Airbag Eye Injury

Airbags have been reported to cause eye injuries such as corneal abrasions, alkali burns and the serious effects of eye compression such as retinal tears, retinal and vitreous hemorrhages, retinal detachment and even cataracts. SO-the message is clear. For eye protection and safety in motor vehicle accidents, all occupants of cars should wear safety belts at all times even if your vehicle has airbags!

If you or someone you know has a question about preventing eye injury from airbags in car accidents and why it is necessary to always wear seatbelts even with airbags, please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.