March is workplace eye wellness month. Whether in a factory environment or an office, workplace eye wellness is something we should all be aware of.

Did you know that thousands are affected every day with eye injuries? In fact, more than 2,000 American workers face eye injuries every day. Along with the dangers associated with factory and manual labor work, more people than ever are using computers much more of the time, resulting in eye strain and discomfort.

Workplace Eye Wellness Month is celebrated in the month of March to help address vision and eye-related concerns at today’s modern workplace. It is promoted by many organizations across the U.S. including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Optometric Association, and Prevent Blindness.

To help alleviate eye problems Security Specialists has put together some helpful tips to keep your eyes safe and secure:

• Protect your eyes from flying objects – If there’s any chance something can fly into your eye during your normal work routine, wear safety eyewear. Goggles, face shields, and helmets can mitigate the impact of up to 90% of eye injuries suffered.
• Make sure to get a regular eye exam by an ophthalmologist. They can rule out the possibility of serious eye disease as the cause of your symptoms and update or add eyeglasses to resolve the issue.
• Practice the 20-29-20 rule – If your job entails sitting at a computer screen for long periods of time, practice the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break after 20 minutes, get out of your chair and look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
• Keep your computer monitor approximately 20 to 25 inches (or arm’s length) from you with the top of the screen at or below eye level.
• Try to select an adjustable task or computer chair that allows height, angle, and lumbar adjustments.
• Blink often to prevent eye dryness.
• If possible, try to modify the lighting in your environment to eliminate reflections and glare.