Top Tips for Avoiding Eye Injury and Strain

Whether your job involves filling out spreadsheets or handling heavy machinery, or you enjoy contact sports or binge-watching Netflix shows in your spare time, it is important that we all know how to take the best care of our eyes. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some quick and easy ways to protect your eyes from injury and strain.

1. Wear Proper Eye Protection

The vast majority of eye injuries can be avoided if the right precautions are taken. In certain situations, this may require wearing protective eyewear. From non-prescription goggles to prescription safety glasses, face shields, helmets, and full-face respirators, the proper eyewear depends on the type of activity or work you are carrying out.

For example, construction workers may be required to wear goggles or safety glasses for some parts of their work, and welders should wear face shields to protect their eyes and faces during certain activities.

If you feel that any part of your work could pose a threat to your eyes, it’s important to talk to a supervisor. They should be able to give you any relevant safety information and provide you with the necessary protective gear.

2. Be Aware of Your Environment

Many things can pose a threat to our eyes, including hazards in our environment. Being aware of these potential dangers is vital in avoiding potential injury.

Such hazards are often unique to the environment you are in. For example, construction sites may have a lot of dust or debris that could get in your eyes. Other things to look out for might include sharp, pointy objects, slippery surfaces, objects blocking walkways, loose wires and leads, low-hanging lights, and loose cupboard doors or wall fixtures.

3. Educate Yourself

One of the best ways to avoid eye injuries is to be well-educated on how and when they can occur. Hundreds of people experience an eye injury at work each year, with a reported 87% of these (2022/23) being severe enough to keep the individual off work for over 7 days.

Such injuries are most common in manufacturing, construction and extraction, installation, maintenance, and repair professions. For example, people who work on building sites may be exposed to dust, debris, and harmful chemicals, all of which can cause harm to the eyes.

Being aware of where and when eye injuries are most likely to occur allows you to put the necessary measures in place to avoid them.

4. Limit Your Screen Time

Eye injuries aren’t the only threat to your vision and eye health. Even seemingly mundane activities, such as sitting at a computer all day or scrolling on your phone every evening, can place undue stress on your eyes.

Using screens for prolonged periods can cause a range of symptoms, including eye fatigue, headaches, dry eyes, and even neck and shoulder pain.

Reducing your use of screens, or at least taking regular breaks, can help you avoid these undesirable symptoms and keep your vision sharp and clear, and your mind alert.

A good way to achieve this is to follow the 20/20/20 method. This means taking a break from your screen every 20 minutes, to focus on an object in the distance (at least 20 feet away), for 20 seconds. This can help maintain good eye health and safeguard against eye strain.

5. Attend Regular Eye Exams

There are many preventative measures you can take, such as those outlined above, to protect your eyes from injury and strain. However, one of the best things you can do for your eye health is attend regular eye examinations.

It can be easy to put off eye tests, particularly if you don’t have a refractive error, but they can be invaluable in spotting potential problems and ensuring timely treatment. In fact, a doctor performing a routine eye exam can spot many signs of eye conditions before they start exhibiting symptoms.

As a result, regular check-ups can help you retain clear and healthy vision over the long term!

If you’d like to learn more about your eye health or find out if you could be suitable for Laser Eye Surgery, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today!