Vision is arguably one of the most important ones of our five, unique senses, which is why it’s so important to guard this precious gift and retain our priceless eyesight. The workplace is probably where we put the most stress and strain on our valuable vision and there’s many ways we can ease some of the unnecessary pain we put our pupils while we’re working.
Check out these important tips on how to care for our eyes while we’re on the job “sight” and help to protect our vision:
The 20-20-20 Rule
For the majority of us pulling a daily, nine-to-five routine, this involves spending an inordinate amount of time staring at a computer screen, which can cause a number of different eyesight related conditions. As a general rule of thumb, to ease this type of eye strain, ophthalmologists recommend using the 20-20-20 rule when it comes to looking at these digital devices.
Every 20 minutes, look away from your computer screen for 20 seconds at something 20 feet in the distance. This temporary break will allow your eyes to refocus and gives them a much needed rest from this digital dilemma.
Get Moving
Poor circulation can lead to a number of different health problems, including those associated with our vision. Similar to the 20-20-20 rule, if you’re stuck behind a desk all day, take a break from sitting and get moving to increase circulation to all parts of your body, including your eyes.
More Exercise
Getting into motion will help improve our circulation and is a great form of exercise, but you can also give your eyes a much needed workout. There’s many forms of eye related exercises that are recommended to keep your vision in tip-top shape, for example:
- Warm-Up: Create some heat by rubbing your palms together and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this process three times.
- Roll Them: Start by looking up and slowly circle your eyes ten times clockwise and then do it another ten times counterclockwise.
- Focus: Hold a pen or other object at arm’s length and focus your eyes on it while you slowly bring it towards your nose. Do the same while moving backwards, ten times, while retaining focus on it the entire time.
- Massage: Using your thumbs or fingertips, massage your temples in small circles, twenty times in one direction and another twenty in the opposing motion. Do it again in the middle of your eyebrows and at your forehead.
Along with exercise, give your eyes a rest, tilt your head back, close your eyes and relax for a few minutes several times throughout the day.
Be Offensive
For those of us not strapped to a chair at work all day, be on the offence and be sure to wear the proper eye protection whenever and wherever it’s appropriate. According to statistics from the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) organisation, over 1,000 eye injuries occur in the workplace every day in the United States.
This costs over $300 million dollars in damages every year and one in five of these injuries occurred with people who were not wearing protective eye gear at the time. Flying debris are usually the culprit in these types of preventable problems, so as my Dad always said, “Use the right tool – for the right job,” and this includes eye protection.
Do your best to keep your vision on the up-and-up by taking breaks and necessary precautions to keep your eyesight in check while you’re on the clock.
Tara Heath is a health professional and works as a freelancer writer in the evenings. Her writing focuses mainly on health, such as skincare and how to live a healthy lifestyle overall. She lives in Burbank, Ca.
