Download SYVM-2010-Eye

Healthy Vision
in the
Workplace
Produced by the
American Optometric Association
Healthy Vision in the
Workplace
• Eye safety statistics
• Types of eye hazards
• Types of eye protection
Eye Safety Statistics
• According to the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
every day nearly 2,000 U.S. workers sustain
job-related, vision threatening eye injuries
that require medical attention.
Eye Safety Statistics
• Approximately 60 percent of workers with eye
injuries in a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
study were not wearing the proper
protective eyewear at the time of their injury.
Types of Eye Hazards
• Foreign bodies
• Eye Strain
• Ultra-violet radiation
Foreign Bodies in the Eye
• The BLS study reported that 94 percent of the
eye injuries which occurred while a worker
was wearing protection were caused by
sparks, debris or chemicals striking the eye
from around or under the protective shield.
Foreign Bodies in the Eye
• Nearly 70 percent of the eye injuries reported
in the BLS study came from flying debris,
sparks and small objects striking the eye.
• Most of the objects were smaller than a pin
head.
Protective Eyewear
• Protective eyewear needs to be properly
fitted to be effective.
• Training employees on the proper use of
protective eyewear can reduce workplace eye
injuries.
Protective Eyewear
• Safety Glasses
• Goggles
• Face Shields and Helmets
Safety Glasses
• Safety glasses may look like normal
eyewear, however they are designed to
provide much more protection.
Safety Glasses
• Lenses and frames are much stronger
than regular glasses and are
constructed to prevent the lenses from
shattering or being pushed toward the
eyes.
Safety Glasses
• Those working in an area that have the
danger of small particles, flying objects
or dust should have the wraparoundstyle of safety glasses or use side
shields.
Goggles
• Goggles with polycarbonate or Trivex®
lenses are highly impact resistant and provide
protection from dust and chemical splashes.
Goggles
• They cover a large area around the
eyes and protect against hazards from
any direction.
• Goggles can be worn over prescription
glasses and contact lenses.
Face Shields & Helmets
• These secondary protectors do not
provide adequate protection alone and
should always be used with primary
eye protection devices such as safety
glasses and goggles.
Eye Safety in the Workplace
• Employers are required by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to
provide face and eye protection to workers at
risk for job-related
eye injuries.
Eye Strain
• Eye strain is the most common eye
problem for those who use
computers frequently at work.
Eye Strain
• Computer use requires specific
vision skills that require additional
demands on the visual system and
contribute to eye and vision
discomfort.
Eye Strain
• Ocular motility
• Accommodation
• Vergence
Eye Strain
• Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is
the complex of eye vision problems
related to near work that are
experienced during or related to
computer use.
Eye Strain & Hand-held
Devices
• The use of hand-held devices such as
‘smart phones’ and PDA’s can also
cause eye strain.
Eye Strain & Hand-held
Devices
Prolonged usage of these devices may lead
to a host of issues:
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•
•
•
•
•
Eyestrain
Headaches
Burning or tired eyes
Loss of focus
Blurred or double vision
Neck & shoulder pain
Ease the Strain
•
•
•
•
Give it a rest
Size up
Sharpen up
Reduce glare
Ease the Strain
• Look down
• Think blink
• Diet and nutrition
Ultra-Violet Radiation
• Exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet
(UV) radiation can damage the
eyes.
Ultra-Violet Radiation
• Non-solar sources of UV radiation
include:
• Arc welding
• Curing of paints and inks
• Disinfection of equipment in hospitals and
laboratories
Ultra-Violet Protection
• Wear protective eyewear any time the eyes are
exposed to UV rays.
• Choose quality sunglasses that block out
99 -100 percent of UV radiation and screen out 75 –
90 percent of visible light.
• Clear lenses can be treated with a coating to protect
eyes from UV.
New occupational tasks can result
in new vision needs.
• A change in one’s job tasks may require
different focusing abilities. This is especially
true for workers over 40 years old, whose
eyes are susceptible to presbyopia, a natural
loss of focusing ability.
Eye Safety at Home & Play
• Many people are conditioned to wear protective
eyewear at work, but forget to wear it at home and
during recreational activities such as:
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•
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Yard work
Hammering
Wood working
Grinding
Playing sports – baseball, hockey, golf
In Conclusion…
Eye safety in the workplace is proven to
prevent loss of vision.
To further ensure healthy vision be sure
contact your optometrist to schedule a
comprehensive eye exam.
Questions?
Thank You!