Eyes are one of our most precious organs and one that is relatively easy to damage, too. Anywhere from too much light to various particles, different workspaces can spell trouble for your vision. So which are some of the most common hazards in the workplace that you should keep in mind? Let's take a look!
1. Chemicals
It is no secret that one of the most damaging substances for your eyes are chemicals. The most common damaging chemicals for the eye are normally acids and alkali, so you should always keep in mind to go in well protected in such an environment.
Splashes are hardly the only way these chemicals would cause a burn to your eye though. Vapours and fumes could easily end up a cause for a nasty burn, swelling and even loss of vision in more severe cases. If you ever fall victim to such an eye burn, you should immediately wash out thoroughly your eye for a few minutes. Monitor the condition of your eye for a bit and if you feel like it's getting worse, make an appointment with your eye specialist.
2. Small pieces of debris
Metal shards, wooden scraps, concrete - you name it. Whether you are hammering, drilling, sawing or welding, a bad time is guaranteed at one point down the line, if appropriate protective measures are not taken. Small pieces of material can easily fly off and land right into your eye and trust us... a metal shard in the eye is an absolute pain to deal with.
The first instinct you would have in such a case, would always be to scratch your eye and try to remove it. However, you SHOULD NOT do that. Whether it is just a feeling or there actually is a piece of a material landed in your eye, you should always refrain from rubbing or generally touching your eye too much. Even excessive blinking should be avoided, to prevent scarring of the cornea of the eye. This is one of those situations, where you should not try to do it yourself, but immediately seek medical help.
3. Excessive light and heat
UV light and heat can also be a hazard to your eyes. This is counting not just the front part of your eye, but it could also be hazardous for the retina of your eye. Eye burn is one of the smallest troubles you will get away with, if you expose your eyes to too much radiation and too often.
Conditions like cataracts and glaucoma are one of the most common culprits, when it comes to acquired vision loss. You should always seek medical help or seek to reduce the radiation intake in such places. Heat itself can also cause redness and irritation, setting the tone of a dry eye syndrome, which could easily progress into a more serious condition too.
What should you do to keep your eyes safer at your workplace?
1. Never avoid using the protective eyewear you are offered
2. Avoid taking on tasks which are normally not a part of your expertise
3. Keep your face at a safe distance from your hands and your task
4. Make sure to maintain your work station as clean as possible
5. Reduce glare and other strong light sources, which are posing an obstacle to your proper vision or pose a risk to your eyes
6. Do not touch your face without cleaning your hands properly
Those are a few of the simple things which will help you keep your eyes safer while at your workplace. The workplace, however, is not the only place you will ever need high-quality protective eye gear, so you should definitely check out our website, for some fantastic options, which will allow you to look cool, while preserving and enhancing your vision!