Eye Injuries from Airbags Unlikely

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows airbags do not cause as many eye injuries as previously thought.

Researchers from the Helsinki University Eye Hospital studied more than 100 eye injury cases that occurred as a result of airbag deployment. They also examined data from two cohort studies involving more than 200 people who were injured in non-fatal, serious car accidents.

Results of the study show the risk of eye injuries caused by airbags is minimal. Researchers say drivers and passengers have a 2.5 percent chance of having an eye injury and only a 0.4 percent chance of having a severe eye injury if an airbag deploys.

Researchers also found people who wear eyeglasses are no more likely to be injured than those who do not wear glasses. Although eyeglass wearers are three-times more likely to suffer open eye injuries, those who do not wear glasses are more likely to suffer from eye injuries caused by airbag chemicals.

The injuries studied were mostly mild. None of the individuals lost their eyesight because of an airbag injury. Researchers say the benefits of having an airbag installed in a car far outweigh the risks. Richard Bensinger, M.D., of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, says: “The injuries to car crash victims when the airbags are absent are serious and frequently cause permanent damage. Thus, the use of the airbag is a health and life saver.”

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SOURCE: American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2003;110:1082-1088