health & wellness
iPhone – Eye Strain
THE TIME WE SPEND ON SCREENS
IS AFFECTING OUR HEALTH AND
PRODUCTIVITY; WHAT CAN
EMPLOYERS DO TO HELP?
By Joel Kranc
The late Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Inc.
and visionary behind some of the modern
workplace’s most prolific devices and technological
tools, told the New York Times in
2010 that he limits the amount of screen time his
kids use at home. This is perhaps a shocking thought
to many to think the children of the man behind
Apple get limited time on their screens. As adults,
however, we make those choices for ourselves – most
of the time. At work, on the other hand, we are generally
in a constant screen environment, either at our desks,
in meetings or even on our breaks. The physical strain these
digital devices are having on our eyesight and productivity is
taking its toll on the modern workforce.
In fact, nine of out 10 employees say the quality of their work
has been negatively impacted by problems with their vision,
according to the 2015 Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits
Survey, conducted by Transitions Optical. Unfortunately, while
many of these problems affect most employees, the survey
says, only 13 per cent of employees have addressed them with
their employers.
WHAT IS DIGITAL EYESTRAIN?
The problem itself, according to The Vision
Council (a Virginia-based organization
representing manufacturers and suppliers
in the optical industry), is “the
physical discomfort felt after two
hours or more in front of a digital
screen and is associated with the
close to mid-range distance of digital
screens, including desktop and
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HRPATODAY.CA ❚ JANUARY 2016 ❚ 37
