We all know that knowledge, experience, skills, good work tools and attitude are essential for performing well at work. But, do you know that good vision is equally important?
Here are reasons why you need a good vision to work
#1- You need good vision to avoid mistakes and do an accurate job
People often make frequent and sometimes costly mistakes in documents when they have eye problems and cannot see well.
These mistakes are common when writing reports, working with figures or performing repetitive tasks like data entry.
Making a lot of mistakes in documents can lead to confusion and misunderstandings between you and your colleagues/business partners. It can create a wrong impression about your intelligence and work ethic and, in worst-case scenarios, lead to loss of income and opportunities.
#2- You need good vision to concentrate and deliver tasks on time
Symptoms of eye problems such as blurry vision, headaches, eye pain, burning sensations, watering, itchy or dry eye cause a lot of discomfort. When you are uncomfortable, you are often distracted. This can make you take longer times to complete tasks and fail to keep up with schedules and deadlines.
#3- You need good vision to stay safe and alive as you work
Poor vision makes you prone to accidents and injuries. This is more common among drivers and people whose jobs expose them to hazards like heavy machinery, flying objects, chemicals, heat and intense light.
As a driver, poor vision can make you can miss road signs or turns, take the wrong ones, stop abruptly while driving or even get lost on your way. You could run into potholes and damage your car. You could bump into other road users, hit objects on your sides as you move, and in the worst-case scenario have an accident that gets you severely injured.
As a worker exposed to eye hazards, accidents and injuries can occur when you do not see well or ignore safety protocols like using appropriate protective eyewear.
In summary, you need good vision to work accurately, effectively, efficiently and safely.
In the past, it was often neglected during discussions around health, wellness and safety at work. However, with the increased use of digital devices and episodes of uncomfortable eye-related symptoms associated with their use, its importance for work has become very obvious and can no longer be ignored.
Advice
1- As a worker, ensure you can see clearly and comfortably as you work. If you have not done an eye exam in the past 2 years or have undiagnosed/untreated eye symptoms, consult an eye doctor, get recommendations for care and treatment and do well to follow the recommendations. Also, adopt habits and practices that enable you to work comfortably and safely. These will be discussed in subsequent lessons in this series
2- As an employer, ensure your staff are working with a clear and comfortable vision. Here are some tips to achieve this;
- Make eye checks a part of the medical exam staff undergo at the time of employment. Those with poor vision should get the treatment that would help them work at their best.
- Enrol your workers on a HMO plan or get a retainership with an eye clinic where they can do annual eye checks and get treatment when necessary.
- Organize eye health education events and get them to subscribe to our Academy Eye Care Series for Workers at this link https://www.kesona.com/workerseyecareseries/
