Proper vision is a huge factor in most industries, impacting everything from attendance to efficiency. This is why workplace vision is considered a key factor that can influence the global economy.
According to the World Economic Forum, visual impairments can result in up to $411 billion in productivity costs every year. This creates a significant economic burden that is actually much bigger than the cost of addressing these visual issues, which is estimated to be just around $25 billion.
While many things can impact workers’ eyesight, the same source above reveals that a growing population is affected directly by their work. Specifically, up to 13 million professionals are believed to experience eye problems due to their occupations and the demands they put on them. Given that IT work is very vision-intensive, it’s safe to say that many in this field have lackluster ocular wellness.
Why IT professionals’ sight is at risk
As mentioned above, IT work puts a lot of pressure on the eyes. For one, the work itself requires plenty of near-work. This puts an unnatural strain on the eyes that can cause them to deregulate. In particular, this type of close-up work over extended periods is directly linked to myopia. A study shared on NIH even goes so far as to connect computer work with myopia progression because more screen time also means fewer opportunities to partake in other environments or activities that can benefit the eyes. This includes spending more time outdoors where the eyes can relax and reset to work optimally at other distances beyond what a monitor may allow.
Aside from this, IT professionals are also more vulnerable to the potential damage that overexposure to screens may bring. Notably, devices are considered the second-most prominent source of blue light, which can cause ocular damage in excessive amounts. Aside from this, the angle and brightness that most screens have can alter how the eye functions. For example, while humans typically blink around 15 times a minute, this number shrinks to between five and seven while in front of a screen. This can hurt how well the eyes stay lubricated, which is essential for visual acuity and comfort. Such is the impact of screen brightness, which is partly why Chrome OS released a new light theme. This is apart from its usual dark/light modes.
Effective eye wellness habits to adopt
Considering that gadgets are an inescapable part of IT work, the best way to care for the eyes in this line of work is to adopt protective habits. For starters, it may help to wear blue light reading glasses. On retailer Readers, the platform details that the glasses come in a variety of specifications, including ones that are unmagnified, multifocal, and fully magnified. This means that you can find a pair that suits your current ocular needs, regardless of whether or not you need vision correction. Since these glasses can support fine detail work, the eyes are less likely to have to overcompensate and exhaust themselves. The specialized blue light lens coating also blocks out this potentially harmful light, therefore preventing the aforementioned damage. Since these glasses sit right on the user, they can extend protection no matter what device you’re doing IT work on.
In addition, it also helps to keep lubricating eye drops on hand. They are formulated to mimic natural tears, so they’re a great way to relieve tired eyes. As a matter of fact, these drops are considered a primary treatment method for computer eye syndrome since they can help balance the eye’s tear film even when overworked. Since they’re available without a prescription from brands like Systane, they’re readily available for IT professionals. Although these are not meant to be used too liberally, they can be used on a fairly regular basis to prevent issues like dry eyes, redness, and itching from taking root or getting worse.
