Western Sydney mother pushes for safer retail fixtures after toddler suffers eye injury

Maureen Ahluwalia, a mother from Western Sydney, is calling for stronger retail safety measures after her toddler nearly lost her vision in a shopping centre accident.

Content warning: This image may be distressing for some viewers. Western Sydney's Maureen Ahluwalia and her two-year-old daughter Amaira. Credit: Supplied

Maureen Ahluwalia’s two-year-old daughter, Amaira, suffered a blood clot in her eye after accidentally turning and hitting a display hook while shopping with her family at Blacktown Westfield on July 8, 2025.

Speaking with SBS Punjabi, Maureen shared how their shopping experience took a painful turn.

"Amaira was walking down an aisle with me and two other adults. She suddenly turned around, held her eye, and started crying. When I saw, her eyelid was turned inside out,” Maureen said.

"Amaira’s eye hit against a slat wall panel hook, causing a blood clot to form. I immediately rushed her to an optometrist within the shopping centre."

The optometrist confirmed that the hook missed Amaira’s cornea by just one millimetre—she could have lost her vision.

Maureen Ahluwalia

Content warning: This image may be distressing for some viewers.

Two-year-old Amaira suffered from a painful blood clot. Credit: Supplied

Executive officer from Kidsafe NSW, Christine Erskine, told SBS Punjabi that ‘eye injuries are among the most commonly reported in young children and the anatomy of a child’s eye socket makes it especially vulnerable to sharp or blunt-ended fixtures.'

Amaira suffered a painful blood clot in her eye, which has healed since the incident but her mother Maureen is concerned about the risk to other children.

"I wouldn’t want what happened to Amaira or worse to happen with any other child," she said.

Ms Erskine believes toddlers are particularly vulnerable in retail spaces.

These age groups often lack the necessary motor skills, awareness, and visual development to recognise and avoid potential hazards like unprotected display hooks.

Christine Erskine, Executive Officer, Kidsafe

Emphasising the importance of preventive measures in retail spaces, Ms Erskine further said, "Prevention of injury to children is not specifically mandated, but it should be a focus in the retail environment, where families are actively encouraged to visit and enjoy opportunities for learning, reward, and social interaction."

Following the incident, the Sydney-based mother and makeup artist has called on NSW lawmakers to introduce changes to make retail spaces safer for children.

In a recent Facebook post, Hon Stephen Bali MP confirmed he will raise the issue in the NSW parliament.

Some retailers have voluntarily rolled out safety changes, but many lag behind, despite warnings from the National Retail Association.

Mr Bali shared in a statement to SBS Punjabi

The initiative calls for safer hook designs, higher placement of fixtures, child safety audits and mandatory staff training on hazard prevention.

But not everyone online agrees.

Some social media users argued that the responsibility lies with parents rather than retailers, with one commenting, “preventable with parents doing their job."

How about stopping the kid from running about? Retail shops aren’t playgrounds.

Social media user

Maureen responds to these claims, saying, “Just as we fence pools and use booster seats in cars, safer retail fixtures can help prevent avoidable injuries in shops.”

Click the audio to hear the full explainer.

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