Vision Xperts 613 S. 2nd St., St. Charles, IL 60174

We make house calls for safety eyewear, computer ergonomics, Wellness programs

708-686-5266 fax: 630-443-4823 www.wecare4eyes.com

                               Whether you drive a company vehicle, operate a machine, assemble a product, or use a computer; your eyes control your activity.

National don’t get hurt at work week!  . Number 1 fear employees have is losing their eyesight

Invite your employees to be a partner in your injury prevention program. I’ve found if you make their safety “ personal”; employees tend to integrate safety into the daily work responsibilities

You can’t always turn back the clock on an injury. In my Lunch and Learn wellness programs I ask employees to take that first step. I ask them to consider this:

 What would your world look like if you’re injured?

I’ve included a poster for your employees to color. Ask them to put them in their workspace. It’s a personal daily reminder to work safe, work smart

                                                                                                                                 Safety Hall of Fame

WRap Safety Do you have employees in satellite locations who require prescription safety eyewear

As I mentioned in my last newsletter; a significant number of employees are over 40 years of age and rely on computers in the course of their work activities. For employees who might not require prescription eyewear to walk and talk; but due to their age can’t see the computer monitor we have a number of prescription computer eyewear solutions. Please contact our office at 708-686-5266 for further details.

For anyone over age 55 five issues govern their visual clarity and on the job accuracy, loss of mid- range acuity, Lighting, chronic dry eye, glare, and physical stress related to computer usage

Loss of mid-range: Printed materials will not be as clear as before, in part because the lens inside the eye becomes less flexible with time. Eyes find it harder and harder to focus on near objects with the same ability compared to when a person was younger.

One study I read in my professional journals reports as many as 50% of patients who require good intermediate and near vision for their work are finding their current glasses don’t do the job. I recommend every employee bring a copy of WIDE with them to their eye doctor. WIDE helps the employee define their eye’s condition and their visual demands for their job > WIDE helps the doctor understand what the employee does with their eyes on the job

Lighting: as we age the lens inside the eye yellows and clouds. Employees 55 and over will require increased illumination to maintain clear sharp visual accuracy in order to perform their job properly. For example, the normally clear lens located inside your eye as it starts to discolor can make it harder to see and distinguish between certain shades of colors.

Remedying lighting issues for the 55+ group reduces their eye strain, fatigue, and accidents.

Lighting to consider in your facility includes indirect lighting in all general office areas. Task lighting with three level controls positioned at work station. Fill lighting to lighten perimeter areas to eliminate the “cave effect”.

Glare: Changes within the lens inside the eye cause light entering the eye to be scattered rather than focused precisely on the retina. This creates more glare for the 55+ workforce. Glare makes your eyes become tired and strained which reduces your overall visual accuracy. Your eyes are forced in many of instances of glare, to compensate by squinting. Your vision can become blurred and the ability to judge various contrasts is reduced. Employees who fall into the following categories will all be more sensitive to glare’s effects: those with light colored eyes (such as blue, green, & gray), taking certain prescription and over the counter medications, post refractive surgery, and which have cataracts-diabetes-glaucoma. And glare is the2nd highest ranked employee complaint

Remedying glare issues for the 55+ age group is as simple as adding antireflective coatings to safety eyewear, covering unshaded windows, and the color in the bulbs in your overhead lighting

 Reduced Tear Production
With age, the tear glands in your eyes will produce fewer tears. As a result, eyes may feel dry and irritated. Having an adequate amount of tears is an essential element in keeping your eyes healthy and maintaining clear sight.

To assist you in addressing; please read our recommendations in Dry Eye in the workplace

Computers: WebMD.com reports 4 out of 10 adults suffer adverse effects of stress. And I was surprised to learn between 75 – 90% of physician visits could be linked to stress induced ailments. OSHA considers stress a hazard.

It is estimated that 75% of the workforce uses a computer at least 4 or more hours every day in order to execute their job responsibilities The Leibniz Research Centre surveyed computer users and discovered 49% of the employees using progressive bifocals, the most common type today, have visual and body posture problems at work. Vision Xperts has a wellness program Pixel vs Print to assist you in remedying the productivity & ergonomic issues of the computer workplace.

                                            Our Sun: dangerous to eyes and business bottom line

Our sun is the most intense source of blue light our eyes are exposed to every day. Without proper outside protection your employees’ eyes risk developing cataracts, photo keratitis, or macular degeneration.

Vision Xperts announces a new family of prescription Transitions safety lenses featuring Chromea 7 technology. Chromea 7 Transitions lenses are 15% darker, more reactive to reflected light (from concrete – metal surfaces – body of water) and darker on the hottest of summer days.

Bottom line; employees are protected from harmful blue light no matter the weather conditions associated with their outdoor work activities.

Eye Health = Eye Safety  LED technology and retinal damage

The bright, unhealthy light emitted from digital media devices may be adversely affecting your eyes. High-energy visible (HEV) light, commonly referred to as blue light, can cause retinal cell damage and is being studied as a possible cause of macular degeneration.  My office now offers Crizal Prevencia No-Glare lenses to protect your eyes:

Selectively filter out harmful light (Blue-Violet & UV)

Allow beneficial light to pass through (visible light, including Blue-Turquoise)

Maintain excellent transparency (clear No-Glare lens) for optimal vision at all times

LED technology in smart phones, tablets and other similar devices emits an intense bright, blue light. This distracting light causes other objects in your surrounding view to go in and out of focus. To correct this many of us will begin squinting. This is due in part because people tend to hold their mobile devices between two & nine inches closer to their eyes than they would printed reading material. The closer range causes strain on your eyes.

This is especially true for people who wear corrective eyewear or contact lenses. They are more likely to experience digital stress, as their prescription lenses may not have been designed for the mid-range distances of digital devices.