Unsuitable glasses kill the productivity of Czechs. Don’t go for cheap solutions that only make the condition worse, experts advise

Prague, November 8, 2023 (PROTEXT) – Glasses, whether prescription, reading or clear with protection against blue light, are an integral part of life for many people. They provide a solution to vision problems and allow us to get through working days spent in front of the computer without feeling tired. According to the latest statistics, we spend an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes, often more, behind the screens of computers, tablets or other mobile devices. Meanwhile, screen time globally has increased by an average of 50 minutes per day over the past decade and is on track to continue growing. This fact has the result that many people experience increasingly frequent deterioration of vision, but also accompanying problems such as eye fatigue, trouble sleeping, burning eyes or dry and irritated eyes.

“The long-term statistics of our measurements in companies prove that up to 99% of measured employees have a correction defect, while up to 55% of this number do not solve it at all,” stated Martin Slaný, expert guarantor and optometrist of FOKUS eye optics and added: “In addition to fatigue, reduced work performance, various symptoms of vision deterioration and eye pain, uncorrected visual acuity also affects the way you hold your head and body. by a compensatory body posture, which in a very short time manifests itself in pain in various parts of the body, most often in the head and neck, which is apparently not related to the uncorrected quality of vision.”

These words are also confirmed by the Head of the Graduated Optometrist at the Secondary Medical School in Košice, Mgr. Andrej Slaninka: “Take care of your eyesight even if you don’t wear prescription glasses and give your eyes enough rest. If you wear prescription glasses and work on a computer or smartphone on a daily basis, I recommend adding a blue light shield to protect your vision. You can also confidently turn to opticians, optometrists and optometrists who will advise you and, if you need glasses, measure your vision and suggest the most suitable solution for you.”

Cheap solutions can only make the situation worse

When experiencing initial problems, Czechs often reach for cheap corrective aids that can relieve them emotionally. You can find them in online stores, but also in drugstores or food chains as universal glasses. These aids are often made of inferior materials and their construction can be imprecise. These deficiencies can cause discomfort when wearing glasses or even allergic reactions. “Inexpensive glasses often do not have a precisely determined dioptre, which can cause inaccurate vision corrections. In the beginning, it may seem that you can see well with glasses, but using them can lead to impaired vision or another vision problem.” stated Martin Slaný from Fokus ophthalmic optics and added: “Additionally, cheap materials can be prone to scratches and damage that cause reduced vision and increase eye strain. They also lack the guarantee of filtering harmful radiation such as UV or artificial blue light according to the European standard. Investing in a quality corrective aid is therefore an investment in health and vision, as our most important sense, and should be a priority for each and every one of us.” added Martin Slaný.

Ask your employer for an examination if you feel worse

Many Czech employees do not know that if their eyesight deteriorates while working with display units, the employer should pay for glasses or contact lenses. This is based on a recent landmark decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which affects all EU member states.

Therefore, if you work continuously with a computer for several hours a day, it is important to regularly take an eye test. “Under no circumstances should you resort to so-called self-diagnosis, and I definitely do not recommend reaching for emergency solutions in the form of universal office glasses. These aids often have a direct to magical product description, but their effect is not so magical. Non-individually placed eyeglass centers of ready-made diopters often cause headaches, increased fatigue or problems with concentration and, in my experience, tend to lead to other vision problems in the long run.” concludes Martin Slaný.