Is Your Workplace Worsening Your Dry Eye?

Do you find that you experience irritated and itchy eyes during or following a long day at the office? You are not alone: dry eye is one of the top acute symptoms that office workers face. Dry eye can be such a nuisance that it drags down your work productivity. To understand why dry eye rates are higher among office workers, continue reading this blog by the doctors at Invision Eye Care Specialists in Lakewood, NJ.

The Main Contributing Factors to Dry Eye

If your desk job requires you to sit in front of a computer throughout the day, you probably blink about half as often as you would normally. Since blinking helps to spread moisture across your eyeball, the lowered frequency can be a direct cause of your dry eye.

Bright lights can also exacerbate dry eye symptoms by further straining your eyes. Many offices now use LED lights to keep the office looking bright, even though incandescent or halogen bulbs could provide adequate and less abrasive lighting.

Many offices have dry air pumping in to maintain a comfortable climate. While heating and air conditioning may be necessary to maintain a moderate internal temperature, your eyes may suffer from a lack of moisture in the air.

How You Can Mitigate These Factors

Since the office is a shared space, you may not have control over aspects like the lighting and air the way you would in your own home. However, our doctors do have some suggestions of steps you can try to take for the sake of your eye health:

• Drink water throughout the day. Hydration will help to give your eyes more moisture so that they do not dry out as quickly.
• Change the lightbulbs. If you have an office space where you can turn off the bright overhead lighting, rely on a desk lamp instead.
• If possible, position your desk away from vents where air enters the office space.
• Bring a portable humidifier to your cubicle to help moisten the air.
• Practice the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes you stare at your computer screen, turn away and look at a blank surface/wall from about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This provides your eyes with some relief.
• Position your computer slightly below eye level and a full arm’s length from your face to reduce digital eye strain.

Seek Treatment

If these suggestions are unsuccessful at easing your symptoms, you are likely a good candidate for treatment of chronic dry eye. To meet with our outstanding team of doctors and finally receive the relief you deserve, please call Invision Eye Care (serving the Monmouth County and Ocean County New Jersey) at 732-210-0140.