If you’ve had LASIK in Orange County, you know how great your new and improved vision feels. You certainly don’t want to jeopardize your new vision in any way – especially not by injuring your eyes at work.
How Work can Threaten your Eye Health and Safety
If your job requires working with chemicals or machinery, or if there is dust or soot in the environment, you need to be especially mindful of your eyes while at work. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, “about 2000 workers in the United States sustain eye-related injuries on the job every day. The most common occur when foreign materials – dirt particles, splinters, metal chips, etc. – strike or scratch the eyes.” Health care, laboratory and janitorial personnel face additional risk of infection from bacteria. Even if you work in at a desk job, there are special precautions you should take when working long hours at a computer.
Protecting your Eyes at Work After LASIK in Orange County
Always use Proper Eye Protection
If there is a chance that chemicals, liquids, or foreign objects can get into your eyes, make sure to wear protective safety goggles or a face shield. (Safety devices used to protect your eyes may vary by job, so find out about this before you begin a new position.)
Beware of Radiation, Ultra-Red, and Ultraviolet Light
On-the-job exposure to these can be dangerous, but there are specially designed helmets and safety glasses that can protect your eyes.
Avoid Bacterial Infection
Health care workers, laboratory and janitorial personnel are especially at risk for bacterial infection of the eyes because of their constant exposure to germs. The bacteria may be transmitted through the air or by touching the eyes with contaminated fingers. Common types of eye protection are:
- Goggles
- Face shields
- Safety glasses
- Full-face respirators
*These types of eyewear are generally not disposable and must be disinfected before reuse.
Survey Your Work Environment
Try to eliminate potential dangers to your eyes before work even starts. Survey your workplace for hazards and use machine guards or work screens if there is a risk of debris.
Computer Use Guidelines After LASIK
After your LASIK procedure is complete and your vision is corrected, you may be excited to get back to work at your office job. However, if you work at a computer for most of the day, there are special precautions you should take after having LASIK surgery.
How Computers Affect the Eyes
To understand why you must limit your computer use while healing from LASIK surgery and beyond, it is important to know how computer use affects your eyes. Computer screens:
- Strain the eyes
- Lead to dry eyes
- Reduce the amount of blinking by ½, preventing the eyes from getting proper lubrication
Computer use During Recovery From LASIK
To prevent the eyes from becoming exceedingly dry, avoid using the computer for 24 hours after having LASIK. (This also applies to tablets, smartphones, and TVs.) After this initial screen-free period, make sure to reintroduce the screen time slowly. Computer time should be limited for at least the first week after LASIK.
Computer use After LASIK
Computers are an important part of many people’s jobs, so it is not practical to ask them to avoid using computers forever. Taking the proper precautions will allow you to complete your work without compromising the effects of your LASIK surgery. Make sure to:
- Blink more often while using the computer. Place sticky note on the edge of the screen as a reminder.
- Keep lubricating eye drops at your desk and use them frequently while working.
- Apply the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eyes from becoming overstrained: Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen and look at an object that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Remember that the eyes “recharge” while you sleep, and important nutrients are replenished – so get enough sleep at night to preserve your eye health.
LASIK in Orange County
If you have any questions about how to protect your eyes at work, Contact Dr. Ghosheh at Advanced Eye Medical. Dr. Ghosheh and his team use the most up-to-date iLASIK technology to provide LASIK in Orange County. You will notice improvements in your vision just days after surgery.