Workplace Eye Wellness Month

Workplace Eye Wellness Month

Workplace Eye Wellness Month occurs during the month of March. Preventblindness.org offers many resources for keeping your eyes safe. For example, these resources are online and especially useful during Workplace Eye Wellness Month.

Workplace eye safety is imperative in industries where injuries are more likely to occur. These include workplaces such as the construction industry and those that require the use of machinery. Equipment that generates dust and debris can damage eyes. The awareness color associated with eye safety and wellness is blue. Wear a blue enamel awareness ribbon pin, fabric ribbon, or blue silicone awareness wristband bracelet for this important awareness month.

Workplace Eye Wellness Month is a good time to review current safety guidelines. It’s also a good time to implement wellness and safety protocol for eye health. Make sure to have the right forms of eye protection. This includes goggles or safety glasses. Make sure they are clean and not scratched. Use anti-dust or anti-fog sprays to prevent buildup, and replace damaged lenses or shields. Make sure to stock properly functioning eyewash stations. In addition, it’s crucial that staff know how to use these stations.

Working From Home or Remotely and Eye Strain

When the 2020 pandemic made working remotely the new normal, millions of Americans found themselves adjusting to the home as their full-time workplace. For example, many spent extended periods in front of screens logging longer hours. Because of this, reports of suffering symptoms of digital eye strain became more common.

A new era of remote workers became keenly attuned to whole body health. They often worry that low-level eye pain, headaches, and dry, red eyes after hours in front of a computer screen cause irreparable damage to vision (not true). For this reason, those who use computers as a core part of their jobs should do simple things that prevent strain. And, in addition, keep the eyes lubricated. Eye specialists promote this through their community.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has outlined a list of key practices that desk-sitting professionals should build into their daily routines and work-at-home environments to prevent the ill effects of digital eye strain. In addition, prevention is additionally critical for professionals whose jobs are at higher-risk worksites. This is especially true where avoidable accidents can cause permanent damage to vision. Damage can even include blindness when protective eyewear is not worn.

Workplace Eye Wellness Month Tips for Working Remotely

1) Taking breaks is good eye health. It’s standard practice for professional desk sitters to break up long sedentary periods with a stretch break and wellness walks to clear the head. When you disengage from staring at a screen, giving your eyes a rest is just as vital to whole body health as motion intervals are to musculoskeletal health.

2) Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Set a timer as a reminder to look 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. This can be as simple as looking away from your computer screen or out the window. If virtual meetings keep you in your seat for extended time, shut your eyes for 20 seconds.

3) Practice eye ergonomics. Sit 18 to 25 inches away from your computer screen, about an arm’s length. In addition, adjust screen brightness and contrast so that it feels comfortable. Further, position the screen so your eyes gaze slightly downward, not straight ahead or up.

4) Use eye drops. Artificial tears are the answer for many individuals whose quality of life is challenged by dry eye discomfort. Discuss recommended types and brands of over-the-counter eyedrops that can be purchased without a prescription.

More Ways to Keep Eyes Healthy

Humidifiers = moisture. If you work or live in a low moisture setting, buying a humidifier is a wise investment. These small misting devices are ideal to help people who live in high pressure cold areas or use indoors heaters that can create exceptionally dry indoor environments.

Discuss computer glasses with your eye specialist. If you have trouble seeing your screen, talk to your optometrist or the optical shop about computer lenses, which are specifically designed for focusing on screens 20 to 26 inches away. Skip the blue light-blocking glasses. No scientific evidence has shown that blue light from a screen causes digital eye strain or damages the eye.

Wear protective eyewear at higher-risk worksite jobs: In construction, manufacturing facilities and other worksites where the risk of workplace accidents is higher, wearing appropriate eyewear on the job is critical. Protective eyewear has been estimated to prevent more than 90% of serious eye injuries that cost businesses across the U.S. nearly $300 million annually in lost productivity, medical treatment, and worker compensation.