A new national survey conducted for Rohto(R) Eye Drops reveals that red eyes in the workplace do not always make for a good image, with 41 percent of respondents indicating that red eyes look "unprofessional" and more than one in ten indicating that they would suspect drinking and/or drug use upon encountering someone with noticeable eye redness.

The red-eyed look may be hard to avoid on the job, however. According to Gregg Feinerman, M.D., a noted ophthalmologist and eye surgeon practicing at the Feinerman Vision Center in Orange County, California, eye irritation and eye strain are commonplace in today's technological, fast-paced society -- what many people usually encounter on a normal work day.

"Young adults today are always 'on' and running one hundred miles per hour. Plus, they are constantly plugged in on the Internet, e-mailing, text- messaging and more," says Dr. Feinerman. "These activities mean the eyes are working overtime, and when combined with things like allergies, lack of sleep and other factors, the result is almost constant eye irritation and strain, leading to noticeable redness."

According to the new Rohto Eye Drops survey, among college-age and post- college twenty-somethings, almost one-third of respondents who use computers (28 percent) indicated that spending too much time in front of the computer screen results in red, irritated eyes, and almost a third of the survey respondents (31 percent) spend "most of their work day" in front of a computer.

To stay bright-eyed on the clock and off, Dr. Feinerman recommends the following:

  -- Get more sleep
  -- "Unplug" occasionally, perhaps opting for a short, in-person meeting
     with colleagues instead of e-mailing; to get away from the screen and
     rest the eyes
  -- Identify and treat allergies
  -- Know when to say when; avoid partying after work
  -- Protect against the elements with sunglasses and other protective eye
     gear
  -- Rule out serious eye problems with your physician
  -- Soothe and refresh with cooling eye drops
  -- Consider an anti-glare screen for your work computer

"When used as instructed, eye drops can be helpful to keep eyes lubricated and comfortable," says Dr. Feinerman. "Rohto eye drops are a good choice for active, busy people because they have a unique cooling effect that refreshes and rejuvenates."

Source: Rohto

Web site: http://www.cool4eyes.com/