Tag Archives: eye health

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR EYES (GUEST POST)

Ways to Exercise your Eyes

Today, a majority of professionals working in different industry use computers for long hours in their daily office work. This could easily strain your eyes, hence carrying out proper exercises for them become mandatory. These exercises could make your eyes stronger and at the same time relieves the strain caused to them.  Below is the list of some useful exercises which can help you in improving eye health and making your them free from strain. 

Breathing

You may be surprised to see breathing in the list of eye exercises; however, this could help you in relieving the stress in your body along with relaxing your eyes. Before doing this, you are supposed to remove your glasses and then try breathing. For this, find a comfortable place to sit. Check your breathing rhythm, inhale air deeply via your nose. Your lungs should expand with the air taken inside followed by exhaling slowly from your mouth. You need to feel your stomach and chest deflating in a proper shape. Repeat these steps for several times.

While doing so, your eyelids should hang heavy, your eyes should remain unfocused and at the same time keeping the eyes relaxed till you close them slowly. You need to relax your body without putting any tension with slow movements. Continue your breathing for three minutes. Lastly, open your eyes without looking at anything in particular. Allow your eyes to remain unfocused so that they can get some light in a relaxed and natural way.

Massaging

Massaging your eyes too is an effective way to get rid of the strain in your eyes. All you need is a clean towel soaked in both hot and cold water and then press lightly to your face with focusing more on your close eyelids, eyebrows, and cheeks. Also, rub the hot soaked towel over your forehead and neck. While massaging your eyes, you are supposed to do it in a circular motion using your fingers for one or two minutes. To avoid any eye damage, you need to press them in light fashion with properly washed hands.

Scanning

This exercise for your eyes could help you in alleviating your strain over your eye muscles. Looking at one fixed point for longer duration cold restrain your blood flow, hence you need to loosen up your eye muscles by scanning your entire room. You can do this by either sitting or in a standing position or even while moving in any direction.

While scanning, you need to relax your eyes with proper breathing, looking around your room. Since the goal of this exercise is to move your eyes in different directions, hence you are supposed to shift it anywhere with your natural breathing and blinking processes. Also, while doing so, you are required to release any tension found around your jaw, mouth, and neck. Keep doing this for two minutes.

Near and far focus

Working on a computer for long hours could deter you in refocusing between your computer screen and the object that’s kept away at some distance. Trying this exercise can help you in making your eye muscles more flexible while gazing at diverse distances. To begin with, you need to find a comfortable position and start breathing in a natural way. Now, simply hold your thumb around six inches away from your eyes by keeping it straight across your nose.

Then gaze at your thumb by taking a deep breath followed by exhaling out slowly. Now, look at any object which is placed at around ten feet away from you. Now, take a deep breath by exhaling out slowly and looking at your thumb again. You are supposed to repeat gazing at your thumb and a far away object in an alternate order up to 15 times.

Wrapping up

Your eyes are important organ of your body. For a healthy body, you need to take care of these. The above exercises would help you in boosting appropriate amount of visual function along with helping to relieve computer eye stress.

About the author:  Margaret Jules is a writer/blogger. She loves to spent time on Ergonomic GymyGym exercise. She also loves to read more about exercise on bornrich.

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

WORKPLACE EYE WELLNESS MONTH

Each day, about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).  The National Eye Institute estimates that 90% of those workplace eye injuries could be prevented through the use of proper protective eyewear.  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards require employers to see that workers have suitable eye protection.  Yet the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that nearly three out of every five workers injured were not wearing eye protection at the time of the injury, or were wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job.

NEI, the AOA Eye Safety Project Team, and safety eyewear manufacturers all say optometrists can play a critical role in bringing proper safety eyewear to workers-particularly the employees of small and medium-size businesses.  While most of the nation’s larger employers have established formal safety eyewear programs for workers, relatively few smaller employers have such programs, the AOA Eye Safety Project Team notes.  To assist AOA members in conducting public education efforts on safety eyewear during Healthy Vision Month (March), and in developing safety eyewear practices, the AOA Eye Safety Project Team has compiled the follow materials:  Eye Safety — You Can Make the Difference – an Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association from the AOA Eye Safety Project Team.  Eye Safety is Everyone’s Business – a comprehensive practice management tutorial on the development of a safety eyewear practice, from the Practice Strategies section of Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association.  The Importance of Eye Protection for Work and Recreation – a PowerPoint presentation. And, Eye Safety Fact Sheet – a handout for use in presentation to employers, workers or public education efforts.  Please follow the instructions below to protect your workers:

Eye Safety Fact Sheet (Share these with your employees)

  • Approximately 60 percent of workers sustaining eye injuries were not wearing proper protective eyewear, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “I didn’t think I needed them” should never be the answer as to why safety glasses were not worn.
  • Under the Healthy People 2010 program, the nation’s official public health agenda, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hopes to cut workplace eye injuries by almost a third over the course of this decade.
  • Industry standards now recognize two classes of industrial safety lenses: traditional basic impact lenses and high impact lenses, shown in ballistic tests to offer improved protection against flying particles. Basic impact protectors can only be worn in situations where known or presumed hazards are low impact in nature. High impact protectors (Z87+) provide protection to hazards of high velocity and/or high mass.
  • Safety eyewear is now available in a variety of new styles and materials that make it more attractive and comfortable to wear.
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards require employers to ensure workers have suitable eye protection.
  • To that end, OSHA requires employers to formally assess workplace eye hazards, select the appropriate type of eyewear to use, train and certify employees in eye protection, and plan for eye emergencies. (See the OSHA Eye and Face Protection eTool, a step-by-step guide to OSHA requirements, hazard assessment and safety eyewear selection at www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/eyeandface/index.html)
  • Workers who wear prescription glasses must also wear required eye protection.
  • Protective eyewear must be properly fitted to be effective. Don’t let lack of comfort be a barrier to full-time safety eyewear use.
  • The American Optometric Association recommends that supervisory officials in the workplace, in schools, and at recreational events should mandate wear of eye protection in all activities in which a risk of eye injury exists.
  • The National Eye Institute (NEI) has dedicated Healthy Eyes Month to workplace eye safety. Now is an appropriate time for employers to ensure that all workers have proper eye protection.

Healthy Eyes are required for a Productive Workforce. 

In a recent article from About.com, we learned that according to the AOA’s American Eye-Q survey, nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) spend five or more hours per day using a computer or a personal digital assistant.  While technology improves work productivity, the prolonged use of electronic devices may lead to problems such as eye strain, headaches, dry eyes, fatigue, blurred vision, and loss of focus.  Here are five steps to vision care, as recommended by the AOA: 

Give It A Rest: Remember the 20-20-20 rule.  At least every 20 minutes, take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away.  The survey found that the majority of Americans don’t follow this rule.   

Size Up: Smaller screens on hand-held devices usually favor tiny type that challenges your vision.  Increase the font size so the device can be used at a distance more comfortable for your eyes. 

Sharpen Up: Better resolution offers greater clarity and creates more comfort.  Keep the brightness of the screen at a comfortable intensity, not too bright or too dim. 

Reduce Glare: Try to make sure lighting is not directly behind the head or in front.  Hand-held devices present challenges in various lighting conditions. 

Look Down: It’s easier on the eyes to focus on reading material that is below eye level; therefore, the AOA recommends a computer monitor or hand-held device be positioned slightly below eye level. 

Hopefully, most employers include vision insurance for their employees and dependents in their benefits package.  If this is not the case, vision education and testing should be done.  Day and evening seminars (sponsored by the company) that cover vision information can educate workers on the need for eating proper foods for healthy vision, and changes in vision as people age.  Providing initial vision testing for family members on vision day could be an added perk.  It is important that employers encourage compliance in eye protection. 

Source: AOA; About.com

 

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

TWO IMPORTANT SAFETY OBSERVANCES FOR MARCH

Heavy winds began in February, so March is definitely coming in “like a lion,” to be sure!   This means that there will be “no burn bans” and many “red flag days”.  Please be sure to heed all warnings during this season.  To begin our March observances, today’s topics are: “Workplace Eyes Health and Safety Month”, as well as “Save Your Vision Month”.  You know how irritating a grain of sand can be when it gets into your eye, especially if you are wearing contacts!  Don’t take a chance on permanent damage to your eyes because you failed to wear the right eye safety protection. 

Because taking care of your eyes is so important, we want to emphasize the fact that three out of five workers who have experienced eye injuries in the workplace were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident, or were wearing the wrong kind.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 2,000 workers each day have job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment.  In addition, OSHA reports that thousands are blinded each year from work related injury that could have been prevented.  Read my lips: COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED!  OSHA states that 90% of eye injuries can be prevented through use of proper protective eyewear. 

Knowing exactly what kind of protective eyewear for each particular job is very important.  Here are some clues:

  • For particles, flying objects or dust protection, at least wear safety glasses with side shields.  Many persons have experienced eye injuries because they did not have side shields attached to their safety glasses.
  •  For those who work around chemicals, goggles are best suited.
  •  Persons who are exposed to hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, fiber optics,) require special purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets with special lens shields designed for the task.

Eye injuries most often occur in the manufacturing industry, or to those who are craft workers, mechanics, carpenters, painters, plumbers, and persons who run industrial equipment such as sanders and grinding machines.  The BLS says that in 70% of the accidents, flying particles, falling objects, or sparks striking the eye caused the injury.  Chemicals cause about one/fifth of eye injuries.  In many workers, an estimated three-fifths of articles causing damage to the eyes were smaller than the size of a pinhead. Those in landscaping businesses know how many particles can blow into their eyes when they are operating mowers and other equipment.  As we know, protecting oneself is vital.  Being responsible both at work and home will pay off.  It only takes a minute or two to don a pair of safety glasses or goggles before you start work or go out to work in the yard.

Suggestions to help companies fulfill their obligation to protect their employees from eye injury include:

  • Increase monitoring employees’ compliance in wearing eye protection.
  • Ensure that the safety glasses, goggles, etc. fit comfortably.
  • Furnish stylish safety glasses, (there are many great styles, not the old “Plain Jane” ones.  This will encourage compliance).
  • Tying compliance into each individual’s annual evaluation.
  • Ensure that there are eyewash stations in all areas.
  • Have first aid training programs in order for employees to be familiar with how to help someone with an eye injury or any other type of injury. 

In addition to eye safety issues, the health of our eyes is something we shouldn’t take for granted.  Everyone should have an annual eye examination.  If there is a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration, one should be seen annually by an ophthalmologist.  Experts in nutrition recommend that we have a diet rich in Vitamins C and E.  Eating leafy greens, egg yolks, fish, and other foods containing zinc are things that can contribute to good eye health.  Also, watching ones’ blood pressure is important, because if it is too high, it can hinder blood flow to the eyes.  Some eye professionals recommend eye vitamin supplements to certain patients.  Wearing sunglasses for UV protection is also important for our eye health.  Even children need to wear UV protective sunglasses, because experts say that damage to the eyes begins at a very young age.  

Have you ever turned off all the lights in your house and try to stumble to your bed?  I’m guilty of that, and I run into the wall half the time!  We think we know exactly where everything in our house is, but it’s easy to lose our bearings when we can’t see.  Imagine if you had to do that every day, all day long?  It will make you realize how thankful you are for the vision you were blessed with.  In many circumstances, such as accidents, it is a gift that cannot be replaced.  So why not “open your eyes,” and take the time to wear your protective eyewear, all the time you are working, and when you are doing your chores at home.