That elastic bungee cords -- the ones you often use in the summertime to strap anything from surfing equipment to bikes or camping gear onto your car -- can travel at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour?

Obviously, when a cord traveling that fast goes astray, it can pose a serious danger to your eyes. According to Dr. Steven Chen of the University of Michigan Medical Center at Ann Arbor, if the metal hooks on these cords become overstressed, the cord itself can suddenly spring back and the hook can strike an unwary person in the eye.

Dr. Chen cited reports of about 50 incidents of snapping bungee cords that resulted in severe eye damage, including three people who had to have an eye removed, and six people who required surgery because of this type of accident.

Although the average age of patients injured by bungee cords gone awry is 34, Dr. Chen has testified to convince the American Medical Association's committee to push the appropriate federal agencies to require warning labels on bungee cords to prevent these injuries from happening to any age group.