How often do you think about eye care ? It’s possible that this topic may rank low on your health priority list—after all, you probably only visit an eye doctor in Chicago when you need a new prescription for your contact lenses. However, your sight is critically important in living your everyday life. This month, remember to care for your eyes in every aspect of your life, including your time at the workplace.
Eye Protection in the Workplace
One of the easiest things you can do to prevent eye injuries in the workplace is to wear eye protection, even if you think you’ll be fine without it. Many eye injuries in the workplace are caused by chemical splashes or small particle abrasion, including small pieces of flying metal or wood. Not only could such an injury require eye surgery, or worse, cost you your eyesight, it could also be incredibly expensive. According to the United States Department of Labor, work-related eye injuries have a price tag of over $300 million per year resulting from lost production time, medical expenditures, and compensation for employees. Finally, if you’re a healthcare worker, it’s important to remember that proper eye protection can prevent infectious diseases from being transferred through the membrane of the eye.
Eye Strain Prevention
If you work in an office setting, there are still some eye care factors that you need to consider. Overexposing your eyes to computer, tablet, and smartphone screens can cause eye strain, headaches, and lower your productivity. The main reason for this is that when people focus on digital screen devices, they tend to blink less than normal, causing the eyes to become dry and strained. You can prevent the symptoms of eye strain by remembering to blink frequently. If you feel your eyes need additional moisture, use artificial tears or an air humidifier. In addition, be sure your eyes are not too close to the computer screen. Keeping it about two feet (or more) away from your eyes should also help in reducing eye strain. Lastly, take frequent breaks to allow your eyes to adjust and refocus.