10 Tips for Eyecare at the Workplace

The gone March was the eye wellness month this year. Not just March, you should take care of your eyes throughout the year and throughout your life. Your eyes are the most important sense organ. Getting even a minor injury or your eyesight getting impaired temporarily can cause you a lot of inconveniences. Your normal day-to-day activities become harder to do. You will not be able to enjoy your favorite activities because you failed in taking care of your eyes.

And it is extremely important to take care of your eyesight in the place of work. Any tiny mistakes can lead to injuring your eyes.

What can cause you an eye injury or vision defect

• If you do welding works or similar works that require sparks, you are exposed to the danger of getting eyesight impaired. Wear a proper shield to protect your eyes.
• If you work with a lot of chemicals in a laboratory or any industry involving heavy metals, you are at constant risk. Chemical fumes can affect your eyesight. Your eyes might get hurt while working with machines.
• If your work includes working on UV lamps, tanning booths, etc, you are exposed to UV radiation and harmful eyesight.
• If you work outdoors with a lot of sun exposure or UV exposure, you are at a risk.
• Apart from industrial injuries, you are exposed to the risk of vision defects by working in front of desktops for hours.

Risk of vision defect by working on digital screens

Digital screens like laptops, computers, and mobile screens emit blue lights. Exposure to these lights can give you eye strain and with time it can impact your eyesight. Your eyesight can become weaker by working for hours in front of a computer screen.

Tips for eye care at the workplace

1. Follow industrial safety guidelines

Follow the guidelines on industrial safety to the tee. You cannot compromise on your safety in the industries or factories. Your negligence can cost you your eyesight. It is better safe than to be sorry.

2. Wear proper gear for eye safety

If you are in welding works or laboratories where fumes can cause you eye injury, wear your gears. Wear safety shields, goggles or your eyewear protection gear properly. Wearing these are a bit burdensome but these gears will ensure the safety of your eyes.

3. Proper inspection of equipment and machinery

Eliminating the hazards before occurring is a sure-shot way of preventing injuries. Make sure your industrial equipment, machinery are properly inspected and maintained.

4. Wear blue light glasses when working in front of a computer

Blue light glasses will reduce eye fatigue and also prevent your eyesight from deteriorating further. If you are a non-glasses wearer, getting blue light glasses for working in front of your digital screens will prevent the chances of you having to wear prescription glasses.

Blue light glasses that can block up to 99.9 percent of blue light emissions are good for regulating your sleep cycle. If you are experiencing insomnia (because of working long hours of sitting in front of a laptop or desktop), wearing blue light glasses with 99.9 percent blue light blocking capability will be effective. You can regulate your sleep cycle and also reduce the strain felt on your eyes to a large extent.

5. Wear sunglasses when working in harsh sunlight

When working outside in the harsh sun, wear your sunglasses with polarisation. Cheap sunglasses will not protect your eyes from the sunlight. Polarised sunglasses block direct sunlight and protect your eyes from the adverse effect of sunlight. Getting UV 400 coating on your sunglasses will eliminate the risk of getting UV radiation and other harmful diseases caused by UV radiation.

If you live in a mountainous region or you are a mountaineer, a trekker or any extreme sports person, wear sunglasses coated with UV 400 to protect your eyes. These places are more prone to UV rays and can cause diseases like snow blindness and even permanent blindness in extreme cases. You can buy sunglasses online with UV 400 coating and polarised lenses. You will be able to protect your eyesight.

6. Wear transition lenses

If your work requires you to constantly move in between indoors and outdoors and you are exposed to harsh sunlight, you should opt for transition lenses. These lenses will turn dark in sunlight and return to normal in a normal light setting. Getting anti-glare lenses for your prescription glasses can solve the issue of sun glares and sudden flashes.

7. Take a break from your screens

Take appropriate breaks in between your work. Follow the 20-20-20 rule to take care of your eyesight. In this, you are required to take a break of 20 secs every 20 mins and stare 20 feet away. This will relieve your eyes.

8. Put screen guards or shields on a computer screen

Put screen guards that reduce the glares and blue light emission on the computer screens. This will make your screen look dull but will protect your eyesight from harm.

9. Use Eye solution

Your work or the stress from work can cause your eyes to dry. This can lead to many eye-related problems. Use artificial tear solutions to moisten your eyes. This will also help in reducing your eye strain and get rid of any dust or dirt in your eyes (avoiding any chances of eye infection).

10. Gaming glasses

If you are a gaming professional, wearing gaming glasses are your only choice in protecting your eyesight. Prolong hours of gaming can have adverse effects on your eyes and your health. Wearing special gaming glasses will reduce that risk.