New Year Resolutions for Long-term Eye Health
New Year Resolutions for Long-term Eye Health
In 2024 PTP Transport is bringing attention to the effects long hours on the road can have on your eyes. Most drivers understand that UV radiation from the sun has damaging effects on the skin. However, many drivers don’t realize the damage that the same UV radiation can have on their eyes. The tissues that make up our eyes are some of the most sensitive tissues found in the entire human body. Eye health and treating all forms of eyewear as a tool for your safety is imperative to your success as a driver.
What Does UV Radiation Do to Your Eyes?
According to the Nevada Eye Physicians Website, UV radiation can cause damage from both short-term and long-term exposure. UV radiation can harm the eyes, affect your vision and lead to deteriorating eye health overall. There are many eye conditions or diseases that can be caused or worsened by UV radiation, including:
- Cataracts: A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens, which is responsible for focusing on the light we see. UV light increases the risk of developing cataracts.
- Macular degeneration: This is caused by damage to the retina. Extended UV radiation exposure increases your risk of developing this eye disease.
- Photokeratitis: Snow blindness is caused by high short-term exposure to UVB rays. It can cause temporary vision loss.
- Skin cancer: Damage in and around your eyelids can be caused by prolonged UV exposure to harmful UV light.
How Drivers Can Protect Your Eyes from UV Radiation Exposure
To protect your eyes from harmful UV exposure, follow the tips below.
- Wear sunglasses: Wear protective eyewear that blocks 99-100% of UVA and UVB radiation. Even when it’s cloudy, you should wear sunglasses as UV rays can penetrate clouds.
- Wear UV-blocking contacts: Contacts that protect against UV rays offer the best protection for your eyes.
- Schedule regular eye exams: Comprehensive eye exams allow eye professionals to diagnose damage to your vision and offer proactive solutions for your eye health.
Each year during your DOT Physical eye health is accessed and an eye test must be passed to maintain your DOT compliance. To pass, drivers must demonstrate a distant visual acuity of at least 20/40. This can be with or without prescription glasses or contact lenses. You must also demonstrate at least 20/40 with both eyes together, the right eye alone and the left eye alone. Eye health and the protection of your vision are imperative to protect your overall health and your professional driving career.
The PTP team understands it can be challenging to find the right truck driving job for you and your lifestyle. Join a team where you feel supported and respected. At PTP Transport, we are proud to offer excellent benefits and are always evaluating our benefits package to offer great benefits to our drivers and their families. PTP is always looking for talented drivers to join our team. Contact us today for more information about job opportunities and the hiring process or click here to apply.