The most common eye injuries at work

07/01/2021

Working hours occupy a good part of our day to day. For this reason, many of the accidents and injuries we suffer occur while we work. Among the parts of the body most affected, the eyes are the part of the head that accumulates the greatest number of injuries in the workplace.

The most common eye lesions are keratitis and conjunctivitis. The workers most affected are those belonging to industrial sectors, followed by construction and agriculture, with workers in the service sector having the least eye injuries. Despite the uneven incidence according to the work activity carried out, any worker may present symptoms that prevent them from carrying out their responsibilities normally.

The work activity carried out also influences the types of injury suffered by workers. People who carry out their responsibilities in outdoor or industrial spaces are more prone to presenting foreign elements in the eye and suffering scratches, trauma or chemical burns. On the other hand, people who work in offices suffer more frequently from visual fatigue, dry eyes or conjunctivitis.

From the Barraquer Ophthalmology Center we offer a number of tips that will help prevent such eye damage and prevent the development of more severe pathologies

Outdoor workplace

Exercising the job in open spaces, especially in industrial sectors, increases the risk of suffering an accident or developing an injury caused by external elements. For this reason, at the Barraquer Center we recommend the regular use of glasses, face shields and other protective elements that help avoid direct contact of dangerous elements with our body, especially with the face and eyes.

If an accident occurs that affects our vision and leads to tearing or irritation, it is advisable to clean the eyes with physiological saline solution or mineral water. In no case should the affected person rub their eyes as it could cause an infection or add complications to the injury. In accidents where trauma occurs that results in bleeding or perforation in the eye, we advise stopping the bleeding as much as possible. In any case, to avoid possible complications it is recommended to be treated by a specialist as soon as possible.

Office workplace

People who work in offices or indoors often have symptoms related to eye strain, dry eyes, or pink eye. The increase in the use of screens in recent years has led to an increase in eye ailments, which lead to irritation, red eyes, tearing or blurred vision.

The ophthalmologists at the Barraquer Ophthalmology Center recommend a series of measures to alleviate these effects. It is essential to have an adequate workspace that has appropriate light, ideally natural. You should also try to maintain a minimum distance of 40 centimeters from the screens of electronic devices. Apply the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes focus your eyes on a point located about 20 meters for 20 seconds, it is very useful to carry out frequent pauses and relax the muscles of your eyes. While looking at screens it is vitally important to blink constantly to avoid the development of dry eye. When we spend so many hours in front of electronic screens we fix our gaze and our eyes blink much less than usual. For this reason, specialists recommend the application of artificial tears to help maintain the lubrication of the eyes.

If the discomfort caused by the excessive use of the screens does not subside after a few hours of rest, it is recommended to visit a specialist to rule out the existence of ocular pathologies.