Eye can't believe it!
Sat in front of a computer all day may sound like the easiest of jobs in the world; However, staring at a screen for hours on end, 5 days a week can put a tremendous strain on your employees’ eyes or make any other eye problems they have much more noticeable.
Between 50% and 90% of people who use a computer daily for work have symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS). CVS may occur if your eyes are enduring the same movement over and over again. Your eyes will have to focus and refocus as you look at the screen, moving back and forth as you read and then at your papers on your desk. All of these small movements require a lot of work from your eye muscles.
Staring at a bright, flicking, glaring screen for hours may lead to;
Eye strain
Headaches
Blurred vision
Increased sensitivity to light
Watery eyes
Dry, burning, itchy eyes.
Fortunately, these symptoms are rarely a permanent condition and can be easily prevented and cured.
Protecting your employees’ eyesight from long hours in front of a computer screen is not just only a legal requirement, it also makes good business sense. Taking the health of your employees eyes seriously will have a direct impact on their concentration and productivity. Without having these symptoms addressed, worker productivity can decrease by as much as 20%.
So what can you as an employer do to protect your employees eyes?
Use adequate lighting. Ensure there are curtains or blinds at the windows to block the sun from causing a glare. Ensure there is significant lighting in the work area.
Reduce the glare- Glare reflected from light-coloured walls and shiny surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen, can contribute to cause eye strain. An anti-glare screen attached to your monitor can help.
Adjust the monitors setting- Make sure the brightness is the same as the surroundings, adjust the text size and contrast so that it is comfortable to read.
Modify the work station- ensure there are comfortable chairs, with an adjustable height.
Choice of Computer- ensure that the screens being used do not flicker as this contributes significantly to eye strain.
Allow frequent breaks.
Provide a Cash Plan.
Health cash plans are intended to help cover the cost of routine medical treatments for employees. Cash plans provide the facility for employees to seek early diagnosis and treatment for medical conditions without worrying about the cost, reducing the likelihood of problems developing into a serious illness and reducing recovery times. These plans cover the top treatments responsible for employee absence, including dentistry, opticians and complementary therapies.
Optical costs such eye tests, fitting fees, glasses and frames repairs and prescription glasses/ contact lenses, may all be covered in these plans depending on your level of cover.
A small company funded contribution per week per employee ensures employees are covered for everyday health expenses. Therefore, promoting a positive image of your company’s dedication to your employees’ health and wellbeing, improving morale, motivation and productivity amongst your staff.
With healthcare cash plans to suit all personal circumstances it is worth talking through the options and talking specifically about the needs and issues of each workforce. Excellect can help ensure the right cash plan is set up for you and your staff. Give us a call to talk through your options.
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