To enlighten companies and their workers about the relevance of vision wellness, and to provide advice on how to avoid vision-threatening eye accidents, Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has set aside the month of March as Workplace Vision Wellness Month.
Every day, employees suffer from job related eye injuries that demand the attention of an eye care professional or doctor. Workplace safety experts and healthcare professionals say that the two most prevalent reasons that employees get eye injuries is either because they don't wear anything to protect their eyes or they are taking the wrong sorts of safety precautions.
The most frequent hazards found in the work environment include flying particles or falling objects such as wood, metal, dust or concrete that can enter or scratch the eye. Chemical sprays, gases and radiation can also scorch and seriously injure the eye tissues.
Keeping Safety in Sight
Here are four crucial ways to prevent eye injuries:
- Be aware of the eye hazards present in your work.
- Limit the possibility of danger before even beginning work by asking for machine guards, screens or other safety devices.
- Wear safety goggles that sit well and provide enough coverage for your job. Your optometrist will be able to assist to determine the best protective eyewear for your particular situation.
- Make sure to keep your safety eyewear in good condition, and replace when broken.
Healthy Screen Vision
Working with computers or using mobile devices like phones or readers can also be harmful for your vision. Because of the increase in the use of computers in our lives, these dangers are becoming increasingly prevalent.
Here are a few helpful ways to avoid eye strain and visual discomfort when working on a computer or using a hand held device:
Learn the 20-20-20 rule to give your eyes a rest. At least every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. If you're using a hand-held device, enlarge the text so you can use it at a distance more comfortable for your eyes.
In addition try to adjust the brightness of your screen to a comfortable resolution and position your monitor just below eye level to reduce any pressure on your eyes. You may also want to consider the option of computer glasses.
For more information relating to protecting your vision in the workplace, please contact us today!