How to Prevent Vision Problems From Affecting Employee Health and Productivity

February 14, 2024

As modern industries and businesses continue to evolve, so do the workplace challenges they must address. For instance, a previous post highlights the importance of stress management to ensure employees’ long-term morale. By investing in automation, outsourcing, and business intelligence, employers and business owners can effectively boost efficiency and, in turn, positively influence their workers’ well-being.

However, in light of the adoption of digital transformation at a remarkable pace, another health and wellness concern comes in the form of vision problems. On top of physical hazards in construction and manufacturing sites, offices can also compromise employees’ eye health as they spend prolonged periods in front of digital screens.

Since healthy eyesight is essential to employees’ performance and tasks, employers must mitigate vision problems and maintain workplace well-being and productivity.

Also Read: Where To Watch Clone High Season 2

Table of Contents

The health and economic costs of vision problems

It’s common to think about workplace-related vision problems regarding eye injuries sustained from sharp tools, projectiles, chemicals, and other debris found in hazardous workplaces like factories, construction sites, and laboratories. However, as previously mentioned, the visual demands of digitized workplaces can also contribute to vision impairments. Specifically, excessive exposure to the blue light emitted by digital screens can strain the eyes and increase the risk of eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

When employees have vision issues that make it challenging to work, it can incur direct and indirect costs in terms of absenteeism, medical expenses, and reduced focus and productivity. The World Economic Forum also estimates that the annual productivity costs related to visual impairment amount to nearly $411 billion worldwide. Although this burdens businesses and employees alike through lost revenue and wages, the following section highlights essential steps to practice eye care across workplaces.

Essential eye care components in the workplace

Proper eyewear

In light of physical hazards to eye safety, workers must always wear protective gear such as safety glasses and goggles. Employers are responsible for providing the required protective eyewear and conducting regular eye hazard assessments to improve compliance. Meanwhile, office workers benefit from wearing eyeglasses to minimize blue light exposure, whether or not they have a prescription. Eyewear brand Ray-Ban offers a vast selection of frames like the teardrop-shaped Aviator and rectangular Wayfarer. These styles are practical for daily wear and are made of lightweight materials to provide optimal comfort throughout long shifts.

Vision insurance

Only half of the adults in the US at risk for vision loss visited an eye doctor in the last 12 months. Thus, employers must include vision benefits in their insurance plans to lower medical expenses and encourage employees to invest in proper eye care. In 2023, the health tech startup XP Health released a digital-first vision care platform, helping employees lower out-of-pocket costs by 80% while employer eyewear claim costs are reduced by 40%. The platform expands access to essential optical services by currently offering comprehensive vision exams and prescription renewals.

Vision wellness programs

Lastly, employers can roll out vision wellness programs, which inform employees about their vision care packages and promote eye health practices in the workplace. Aside from the reminder to use proper eyewear during work hours, such practices include staying hydrated to avoid dry eyes, taking regular screen breaks to prevent digital eye strain and fatigue, and adjusting the screen brightness depending on the ambient lighting to reduce glare and squinting.

Overall, vision problems are not something to overlook when considering holistic employee health and well-being. Employers and employees alike can work together to maintain optimal eyesight and, by extension, boost productivity and engagement in the workplace.