Posted by: Eye Health Northwest in General Eye Health on March 10, 2025
Because an estimated 2,000 American workers suffer from eye injuries daily, March has been designated Workplace Eye Wellness Month. Eye health organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Optometric Association, and Prevent Blindness, all encourage workers to take this month to consider the wellness of their eyes in the workplace.
So, how can you protect your eyes in the workplace? Keep reading to learn more about the importance of Workplace Eye Wellness Month!
How to Protect Your Eyes at the Office
If your job requires you to spend hours looking at a computer screen, you could be at higher risk for developing eye strain. This condition can cause symptoms like dry eye, blurred vision, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
Of these symptoms, the most common is dry eye. While it might not sound like a serious eye condition, it can lead to corneal damage, inflammation, and impaired vision if left untreated.
A low blink rate can cause dry eye. People tend to blink less when looking at a screen for a long time, which prevents the eyes from getting lubricated regularly.
If your job involves hours in front of a screen, here are some steps you can take to protect the health and wellness of your eyes:
- Take frequent breaks
- Practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds
- Be mindful about blinking regularly
- Position your computer screen to reduce glare and use an anti-glare screen filter
- Wear blue light glasses or computer glasses
- Ensure your workspace has adequate lighting
- Drink plenty of fluids throughout the workday
How to Protect Your Eyes During Hands-On Work
Working in an office is not the only job that requires eye wellness awareness. If you work around heavy machinery, caustic chemicals, or excessively bright lights, it is equally important that your eyes are protected.
Certain conditions in these types of workplaces can cause serious eye injuries. For example, small splinters of wood or metal in a workshop can accidentally enter the eye, damaging the retina or scratching the cornea.
Workers who handle dangerous chemicals, like cleaning personnel or medical staff, are at a higher risk for eye damage from chemical burns. Common chemicals found in workplaces, like bleach and ammonia, can cause blindness if they get into the eye.
Here are some of the steps workers can take to protect the wellness of their eyes if they work in one of these environments:
- Identify workplace eye hazards
- Ask employers to conduct yearly workplace eye safety assessments
- Choose the correct type of eye protection for the job
- Regularly inspect protective gear for signs of fitness, damage, or excessive wear
- Ensure employers install mandatory eye-wash stations in workplaces with hazardous chemicals
- Insist employers provide regular vision screenings for their employees
- Attend regular eye exams to ensure any issues are detected early
How to Protect Your Eyes While Working Outside
Workers who spend their days outside are at risk of overexposure to UV light. When the eyes are overexposed to sources of UV light, like the sun, it can increase the likelihood of developing common age-related eye conditions, like cataracts and macular degeneration, later in life.
If your job takes you into the field, wearing protective eyewear is the best way to protect your eyes. Using polycarbonate goggles, safety glasses with side protection, face shields, hard hats with visors, and polarized sunglasses can reduce your risk of developing these conditions.
No matter what your profession is, it is essential to be mindful of the health of your eyes. Observing Workplace Eye Wellness Month and following these tips are excellent ways to ensure your eyes are protected as you work!
Do you want to learn more about protecting your eyes in the workplace? Schedule an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Portland, OR, today!
