Local Doctor Lists Toys That Pose Danger To Kids
CHICAGO (CBS) -- You might want to check some of those Christmas presents before it's too late.
A south suburban eye doctor has come up with a list of dangerous toys.
Dr. Phil Kaufman isn't supposed to see patients on Christmas, but based on previous experience he expects to have two kids show up in his optometry office in Crete.
They come to him because he's put out a list of dangerous toys for 35 years - ever since he saw a child lose an eye after being hit with a lawn dart.
Doctor Lists Dangerous Toys
This year's list includes two remote controlled helicopters with sharp blades, bb guns, crossbows, a stomp rocket, a makeup kit and Nerf rifles.
Kaufman says many kids either get toys that aren't age appropriate, or use them in ways they're not intended.
If you have any potentially dangerous toys, he advises close parental guidance, eye protection and playing with them outside.
His list is below:
The eyes have it
2012 Dangerous Christmas Toy List
NERF N-Strike Elite Retaliator
Ages 8+
Hasbro, Inc.
Pawtucket, RI 02862
This rifle shoots foam darts up to 75 feet. Hard and soft plastic at the tip of the 3-inch foam dart ammunition makes this rifle capable of producing a corneal abrasion
Air Hogs R C Helix 360 Copter
Ages 12+
Spin Master Ltd.
Toronto, ON MSV1B6 Canada
Swirling fast enough to slice the front of an eye, this toy helicopter's unprotected rotator blades pose a serious laceration risk to everyone inside the room. The remote-controlled helicopter flies up, down and horizontally at high speed. What makes this especially dangerous is that the remote fails to control the toy's specific direction. If a rotator blade slices through a person's cornea, emergency care is required. This "slice and dice" toy helicopter, which manufacturers say is safe for indoor use, is even hazardous outdoors.
Daisy Lever Action Carbine BB gun
Ages 10+
Daisy Outdoor Products
Rogers, AR 72757-0220
This toy could blind a child; it is lethal. Weighing only 2.2 pounds, this deadly high-velocity BB gun is easy to carry and hold. The manufacturer is targeting girls with a pink version of the 35 ½-inch rifle. This 650-shot BB gun has a muzzle velocity of 350 feet per second which fires the steel ball ammunition a distance of up to 195 yards.
Air Hogs Micro Drone Pocket Copter
Ages 10-12
Spin Master Ltd.
Toronto, ON MSV1B6 Canada
Two sets of high-speed sharp blades could lacerate the eye. This popular "pocket" helicopter will fit into a child's backpack. Because the toy is only 4-inches long, a child will likely hold it close to their face, leaving them vulnerable to injury. The remote is of little use in controlling the "slice and dice" helicopter's flight direction.
Crossbow
Ages 12+
NXT Generation
Cleveland, Ohio 44103
A child could lose an eye with this toy crossbow. The toy's 12-inch open barrel fires 4-inch foam darts 70 feet to 80 feet. That is bad enough, but what is most dangerous is a child's easy access to the open barrel. A youngster could replace or modify the foam dart ammunition. For example, inserting a sharp pencil, Velcro-covered dart or metal dart in place of the regular ammunition and then firing the crossbow could impale an eye. A child could insert a needle into the eraser portion of a pencil to make the ammunition even more deadly. The result would be total blindness.
Spy Gear Dart Blaster X-10
Ages 6+
Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc.
P.O. Box 420
San Francisco, CA 94104-0420
Capable of causing a cataract, this toy shoots a 2.5-inch hard plastic dart up to 50 feet. At the end of the dart is a pointed foam tip which covers a half-inch diameter hard plastic ball. This 8-inch pistol expands into a 15-inch rifle. The featured battery operated "Tracker Beam" light encourages play in the dark. It also encourages shooting other people. The packaging states "Use the targeting sight and the "Tracker Beam to spot your opponent far away and get the perfect shot, every time!"
NERF Vortex Praxis Blaster
Ages 8+
Hasbro, Inc.
Pawtucket, RI 02862
The 26-inch toy rifle fires a 1.5-inch diameter spinning disc with such force that it can produce a painful corneal abrasion upon impact. An inner ring of hard plastic makes the ammunition dangerous. The ring is nearly one-half inch thick, which gives it weight. That, coupled with the rifle's firing power, makes it dangerous even at 10 feet away. The packaging promotes the rifle's "extra long range disc technology" and "10 disc pump-action blasting."
XPLODERZ Night Fighterz GEN-1000 Blaster
Aes 8+
The Maya Group, Inc.
19823 Hamilton
Torrance, CA 90502
This rifle shoots quarter-inch diameter gel pellets up to 95 feet. The ammunition is supposed to explode upon impact with a hard surface. If the pellet hits the eye, the pellet could explode in the eye. The glow-in-the-dark ammunition encourages children to shoot at night. The product contains hundreds of pieces of ammunition that can be altered by inflating them with something other than water, i.e. lye or vinegar. In addition, tap water is not sterile, so the user may be making ammunition with liquid that could be contaminated and cause a severe eye infection.
Air Zone Scorpion Bow
Ages 6+
STATS, Geoffrey, LLC, a subsidiary of Toys "R" Us, Inc.
Wayne, NJ 07470
This 26-inch toy crossbow fires an 8-inch foam "arrow" with enough power to cause a black eye or corneal abrasion.
X Shot Dart & Disc Blaster
Ages 8+
Zuru, Inc.
New Mandarin Plaza
14 Science Museum Rd
TST East, Hong Kong
This pistol fires a suction cup-tipped dart with enough power to either compress the cornea or actually stick to the eyeball. If the dart compresses the cornea, serious eye damage can result. If the dart sticks to the eyeball, there is the initial shock, and then a painful corneal abrasion could occur when the dart is removed
Air Hogs Heli Blaster
Ages 5+
Spin Master, Inc.
300 International Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221
Children love to stomp on things, and that's all a child has to do to launch this 8-inch plastic rocket 40 feet into the air. The rocket is powered by a lightweight manual air pump. People standing nearby are at risk of being hit in the eye, which could result in a painful corneal abrasion.
Barbie "Dollicious" Makeup Case
Ages 5+
Just Play LLC
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
Shaped like a purse, this Barbie makeup case contains three built-in containers of eye shadow and an applicator brush in spite of warnings on the back of the case, "Do not apply makeup near eye area" or "Do not apply around eyes."
A 5-year-old generally cannot read a warning. Nor does a 5-year-old have the physical coordination skills to pick up the applicator brush, dip it into the eye shadow and apply the eye shadow to the eyelid. The child might miss the eyelid altogether and hit the eye. Or, the child won't be able to keep the applicator brush on the eyelid and instead get eye shadow near the eye. If the child rubs the powder into the eye, it could be painful, because it is not hypoallergenic.
The potential for eye infection is strong if the brush is used by more than one child or if the brush is placed on multiple surfaces, such as a kitchen table and bathroom sink. The next time the brush is dipped into the eye shadow, the brush could contaminate the product.
