The Eyes Have It!

Use the information from Prevent Blindness America (PBA) to conduct your training on eye wellness. Give your workers these five healthy living tips from PBA’s Vision Learning Center that they can follow to keep their eyes healthy.

1. Don’t smoke. PBA reports that not smoking—or quitting smoking—can lower people’s risk for eye problems, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and glaucoma. Not smoking is especially important if a person is diabetic, because it can reduce the risk of getting diabetic-related eye problems.
2. Eat a healthy diet. Studies have shown that zinc, vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene can reduce the risk for AMD. Caution your workers, however, to check with their doctors before adding vitamins to their diets. Other studies report that dark green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, may also reduce the risk of getting AMD. Furthermore, healthy eating can lower the risk of developing diabetes, which is a risk factor for developing glaucoma.
3. Live an active lifestyle. Regular exercise and activity promotes overall good health and keeps people from developing conditions that can lead to eye disease, such as diabetes. Again, caution workers to consult with their doctors before starting exercise programs.
4. Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure can increase the risk for glaucoma. And for those with diabetes, high blood pressure increases the risk for disease-related eye problems.
5. Protect your eyes from the sun. Remind workers that they don’t just need to protect their skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays; they also need to protect their eyes. PBA recommends wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that absorb 99 percent to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B rays.

Sprinkling occasional wellness training sessions into your usual safety training calendar can help your workforce stay healthy and alert to potential problems. If your workers want more information on eye health, point them to Prevent Blindness.

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Why It Matters

According to the report, Vision Problems in the U.S.,

• Around 3.4 million Americans 40 years old or older are visually impaired or blind.
• Over 20 million have cataracts.
• About 2.2 million have glaucoma.
• In addition, about 5.3 million Americans 18 years old or older have diabetic retinopathy.
• About 1.6 million Americans 50 years old or older have AMD.

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