Feb. 29, 2024 — To encourage employers and employees to make eye safety and protection a priority on the job, Prevent Blindness has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month. The nonprofit offers a variety of free resources workplace eye safety fact sheets and shareable social media graphics in English and Spanish, in addition to a module in the Healthy Eyes Education Series to help employers communicate the importance of eye safety and protection to workers. In the event of emergencies, Prevent Blindness also offers the “First Aid for Eye Emergencies” resource. 

According to the 2023 “Eye Health and the World of Work” report by the International Labour Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 3.5 million eye injuries occur in workplaces around the world each year. More specifically, a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that workers in the U.S. suffered 18,510 eye-related injuries and illnesses in 2020, with 60% resulting from workers rubbing or being abraded by foreign matter in the eyes and 35% resulting from objects or equipment making contact with eyes. 

All eye safety gear should meet eye protection standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).  

Office workers can combat digital eye strain by placing screens 20 to 26 inches away from the eyes, using a document holder to avoid frequent changes in eye focus, changing lighting to lower glare, using glare filters over digital screens, and wearing yellow-tinted or anti-reflective lenses. 

“Whether working at a job site or in a home office, we must make sure to protect our eyes and vision in order to maintain productivity and independence,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Making vision a priority should be part of everyone’s daily routine to keep our eyes healthy today and for years to come.”