Luckily, there are a number of measures that can be adopted by any company to help prevent these conditions. As an expert in health solutions, we at Cigna invite you to find out what they are.
Looking after employees’ visual health is a very important component of any company’s holistic health and well-being plan. As the frequent use of screens puts our eyes under great strain in the workplace, they require specific care to prevent discomfort such as dry eyes or eye strain. And now hybrid work environments are very much the norm in the world of work, it is more important than ever to know how to help prevent these conditions, regardless of where employees are carrying out their activity.
If we analyse some of the main factors that can affect our sight in the workplace, we find that continuous exposure to the screens of electronic devices can increase the risk of developing dry eyes. And the excessive strain we sometimes put our eyes under to focus on objects within a close range or as a result of frequently changing our focus to look at something close and then far away can lead to what is known as eye strain.
That is why, at Cigna, we provide Human Resources departments with numerous cutting-edge services which have a positive effect not just on employees’ physical health (as perhaps in this case), but also on their overall well-being. So, in addition to offering your employees access to a prestigious and wide network of health professionals to prevent and treat any eye problems, it is also possible to provide them with various solutions that can help to improve their Whole Health.
But apart from these solutions, which measures could be implemented to improve employees’ visual health in hybrid work environments?
- Carry out health and well-being assessments as a starting point
These analyses can be used to assess employees’ well-being and identify potential visual health risks. This way you will have a complete picture of the situation, which will make it easier to implement specific measures that meet employees’ particular needs. Contact us to find out more about these programmes. We can help you!
- Provide solutions which are adapted to different work environments
Wherever they are working from, employees must have the right lighting to perform their duties properly without jeopardising their visual health. The air in the room should also be clean and the humidity level right. And it is very important to provide them with masks that fit properly to make it more difficult for air exhaled to enter their eyes, to avoid the possible risk of dryness and eye irritation.
- Set up visual health information sessions
For employees performing tasks that require the use of screens, one initiative that is particularly good is organising eye care-related awareness-raising workshops. Some of the points that could be addressed include, for example, how employees should adjust the brightness of their computer, tablet or smartphone screen, how they should sit or how far they should keep from these devices, how to prevent reflection from the screen or the proper use of indirect lighting.
- Encourage exercises to relieve eye strain
One of the most popular is what is known as the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, it is highly recommended to look away from the screen for 20 seconds and look at objects located 20 feet (about six metres) away.
- Offer an annual visual health check-up
The most effective way to maintain good visual health is encouraging employees to have regular check-ups so that problems can be identified early and future complications prevented. That is why, in addition to providing access to one of the widest and most prestigious medical networks in the sector, this service is supplemented by Cigna health plans which offer access to medical consultations 24/7. Our Global Telehealth service, available to all our plan members through the Cigna Wellbeing App™, gives the peace of mind of knowing that any eye conditions are controlled whenever and wherever your employees need.
At Cigna, we work every day to improve people’s lives. That is why we support companies that need to develop a health programme with a holistic approach, for healthier and, as a result, happier employees. Adopting this global perspective is what helps companies become a pillar of support for their team, which is crucial in this change in labour patterns that we are experiencing.
Find out all that Cigna can do to look after your employees’ sight and prevent it from affecting their holistic health. Visit our Whole Health Hub now and find out how we can offer you a unique, fully personalised and affordable experience. More information.
