Eye injuries in the workplace are unfortunately, common practice.
According to the organisation Prevent Blindness,
- More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.
- About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover
- Of the total injuries 10-20% will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
Wearing the right eye protection can lessen the severity or even prevent 90% of eye injuries in accidents. That’s why we recommend that you wear the right safety eye protection if there is any chance of an eye injury.
Vision problems can also cause accidents, so it’s really important that regular eye tests are carried out too. We recommend an eye test at least once every two years, unless you have a particular medical condition.
Common causes of eye injuries in the workplace
Some of the common causes of eye problems at work include:
- Chemical spillages
- Harmful particles in the air
- Accidents with tools
- Radiation
- Flying glass, wood and metal
Computer Screens
Although damage from a computer screen is rarely permanent it can sometimes result in:
- Eyestrain
- Poor vision
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Watery / dry eyes
Make sure you take regular breaks to help prevent any eye problem when using a computer. If you use one every day for work, your employer is required to fund your eye test under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
If you think that your eyesight has changed or you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Risk assessments to prevent eye injuries
Carrying out a risk assessment at work can help prevent an eye injury, the main principles to follow are:
- Identify the hazards
- Identify who could be at risk and how
- Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions. For example, wearing protective eyewear or removing hazards.
- Record your findings & implement them
- Review your assessment & update as necessary.
if you have any concerns about eye safety at work, it is recommended that you review the risk assessment, discuss and act on any omissions with your employer without delay.
The types of safety eye protection
We recommend that you wear safety eye protection if there is any chance of an eye injury. At Optimum Vision Clinic we can provide all kinds of safety eyewear from trusted brands like Bollè and Uvex and they come in the following form depending on the work and the potential hazards that are involved.
- Safety glasses, prescription & non prescription
- Goggles with side shields
- Face shields
- Helmets used for jobs like welding
- Respirators that cover the eyes and mouth
Types of Lenses
The lenses for all such protection are usually made of glass, plastic or polycarbonate.
Glass lenses may sometimes be heavy, however, they’re good at resisting scratches and chemical splashes.
Plastic lenses can be as resistant to scratching like glass. They also have the added benefit of being lighter and less prone to misting over.
Polycarbonate lenses are the lightest of all three and the strongest. They are particularly good at resisting impacts and not shattering. However, they can develop scratch marks more quickly than plastic or glass.
As with all our glasses, our safety eyewear is of the highest quality. We also make sure that it’s fitted correctly and are comfortable to wear. Leaving you free to get on with your work, safe in the knowledge you’re taking the best possible care of your eyes.
Safety eyewear vouchers
We’re happy to accept Edenred and most other safety vouchers from all local businesses.
How to order your safety eyewear protection
If you’d like more information on our safety eyewear please call us or pop into our practice as we’d be more than happy to help.
If you have an up to date prescription and a voucher, please bring these along with you too.