This week (23rd – 27th September) is National Eye Health week which in part promotes healthy vision in the workplace, with the average employee spending 1,700 hours a year in front of a computer screen.
In light of National Eye Health week, Anne Corder Recruitment, a recruitment company in Peterborough have given some tips on how to control how healthy your eyes are at work:
- Check the screen is well positioned and properly adjusted – a survey revealed one in four users moved the screen closer to focus on their work. Locate the computer screen four or five inches below your eye level.
- Make sure lighting conditions are suitable and try and get as much natural light into your work area as possible.
- Adjust your screen lighting/brightness if possible.
- Take regular breaks from screen work.
- Blink! We naturally blink about 20 times every minute, but when focusing on a screen this can drop by as much as half. This means your eyes are at much greater risk of drying out when working on the computer.
- Make sure your screen is clean to help reduce glare.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have guidelines on how to avoid and reduce any eye health risks from working with display screen equipment (DSE), such as computers and laptops. They also inform workers that their employers are required to fund eye tests and to provide glasses for an employee if they require special glasses for the distance the screen is viewed at.
Karen Dykes, partner at Anne Corder Recruitment said:
There are not many jobs nowadays that do not require computers, laptops and tablets for some or all elements of the role.
For millions of people, staring at a screen all day is the norm – and add mobile phones into the mix, and it is little wonder that we are putting our eyes through a lot every day.
Events like National Eye Health Week do really remind us just how precious our sight is, and how daily strains can take their toll.
However, there are a number of easy checks and tips for staff when taking care of their eyes and ensuring their well being in the work place.
Interested in wellbeing in the workplace We recommend the Workplace Wellbeing and Stress Forum 2019.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
