Changes in Eye Protection Behavior Following an Occupational Eye Injury

injuries are treated each year in emergency departments nationwide (Xiang, Stallones, Chen, & Smith, 2005). Nearly 28,000 eye injuries will result in 2 or more days of missed work each year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010). Preventing eye injuries, particularly occupational eye injuries, remains an area in need of further research because interventions, including the use of protective eyewear, have been underevaluated (Lipscomb, 2000). To date, only limited evidence suggests that the use of pro-tective eyewear is successful in preventing occupational eye injuries (Chen, Fong, Lin, Chang, & Chan, 2009); however, a link between the absence of protective eye-wear and occupational eye injuries requiring health care services has been shown (Fong & Taouk, 1995; Ho et al., 2008). Despite this, occupational eye injuries and los