Eye Wellness in the Workplace

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, which is important not only for people who perform a lot of physical labor but also for those with desk jobs. Certainly, the first thing that comes to mind with eye wellness in the workplace is eye trauma — abrasions, chemical burns, blunt trauma, foreign objects in the eye, etc. The term “wellness,” however, refers to a state of being in good health. So, as that pertains to the eye, we also want to prevent eye disease.

There are approximately 2,000 work-related eye injuries every day, 90% of which are preventable. Obviously, there are many ways a person can sustain an eye injury at work. It goes without saying that the eye protection and safety practices recommended or required by your employer are necessary for prevention. But when an eye injury occurs — as with abrasions, blunt trauma and ocular foreign bodies — most often the best thing to do is to seek immediate medical attention.

There is one case, however, when that is not true. Hazardous chemicals can quickly cause irreversible eye damage depending on the chemical. If you or a coworker is exposed to chemicals in the eye, the first thing you should do is immediately flush it with water for 15 to 30 minutes. Then seek medical care with your eyecare provider.

As mentioned above, this month we also want to focus on preventing eye disease. A hot topic in the ophthalmic world these days is exposure to visible blue light from computer and device screens. Recent studies suggest that long-term exposure to the blue light emitted from these screens can eventually lead to eye problems like macular degeneration, cataracts and eye fatigue, among others. It is, therefore, recommended that those who spend their workday at a screen wear blue light blocking lenses for protection.

Remember, most eye-related work injuries or illnesses are preventable! Wear eye protection. Know where eye wash stations are located. Be prepared, and stay healthy.

~Dr. Jeremey Dohogne is an optometrist at Leet EyeCare in Cape Girardeau