Eye Damaging Careers

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The careers putting our eyes most at risk

Our eyes work hard every day, and they take a real hit throughout the day. From hours spent in front of a screen to the challenges of hayfever season, everyday life means that we have to really pay attention to our eye care.

But what about the jobs that can be even harsher on the eyes? Are there some industries and sectors that put more of a strain on our eyes or even put us at a higher risk of injury?

We wanted to find out which careers are causing the most damage to our eyes and even risking our sight. Looking at both UK and US data, we have discovered the biggest eye-damaging careers.

The prevalence of eye injuries in the workplace

Accidents happen, and the workplace is no exception to the possibility of accidental injuries.

In a 2019 survey of occupational injuries and illnesses conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 888,220 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses were reported, with 18,630 of those being injuries related to the eyes.

Total injuries

888,220

Eye injuries

18,630

The industries with the most reported eye injuries

Based on the survey of occupational injuries and illnesses, there are certain industries that lead to more eye injuries than others.

Speciality trade contractors are the most at-risk industry, with job roles such as masonry contractors and glass and glazing contractors. As these jobs often involve working with building materials, accidents involving these materials can be incredibly dangerous for workers.

Eye damaging careers ranked

Key: Rank Industry/Sector Total injuries Eye injuries

Injuries in Industries

Injuries in Sectors

Screen-centric careers

Most of us spend hours in front of a screen every day, whether we’re scrolling our social media newsfeeds on our phones or catching up on the latest Netflix shows. However, there are some careers that require workers to spend the vast majority of their time in front of a computer screen.

While many industries have more and more roles that spend most of their working day at a desk, it’s important to think about what this is doing to our eye health.

As computer screens expose us to blue light, when we spend a lot of time in front of a screen, we can suffer the negative effects of it. It can cause digital eye strain, leading to fatigue, dry eyes and difficulty focusing.

How to look after your eyes at work

Making sure that you take the appropriate precautions at work can reduce your risk of eye injury. If you work in an industry such as those listed in the top 10 above, you will need to take extra care, ensuring that you wear protective eyewear when appropriate and following all health and safety advice.

Of course, making sure that you have regular eye health checkups is essential to your health. This ensures that you can keep on top of any prescription changes for glasses and contact lenses so your vision is the best it can be.

Methodology

Data for the number of eye injuries in the workplace is taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and refers to non-fatal occupational injuries in 2019.