The introduction of technology in the medical field has resulted in significant benefits. However, the high dependence on digital gadgets by healthcare professionals, including nurses, has been reported to cause eye strain.
Environmental factors can also cause eye discomfort among nurses. Here is how this happens:
Blue light exposure
With the long shifts of nurses, they typically look at smartphones and computer monitors for hours, as they basically do everything digitally, from creating nursing records to checking prescriptions. Accordingly, nurses are significantly exposed to the blue light of these devices.
The artificial blue light used in digital devices can scatter more easily than other types of light that humans can see. When it scatters into the eye, it can cause blurred vision, dryness, difficulty focusing between near and far objects, soreness and frequent rubbing of the eyes. Besides, this visible light has a high energy and short wavelength – qualities that make it capable of damaging retinal cells. With prolonged exposure to blue light, a nurse is likely to experience eye discomfort.
Eye strain activities
Some of the tasks nurses perform require them to strain their eyes. These include reading small print on medication labels, conducting physical exams, using syringes and monitoring vital signs.
Irregular sleep hours
With the changes in shifts, it can take time before a nurse gets used to a particular sleep pattern. And before their body adapts to the existing pattern, one’s shift may be changed. Irregular sleep hours and lack of sleep can increase the risk of eye strain and other serious eye problems.
If your employer has not implemented safety measures to protect your eyes, resulting in you experiencing eye strain, get more information about your right to workers’ compensation benefits.