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It seems like all day at work you stare at your computer screen, at home, you are looking at your phone, or TV, or other digital devices. Constantly using electronic devices causes a wide range of eye problems called digital eye strain. Because of digital eye strain, you may experience eye discomfort, dryness, blurred vision, eye redness, and even headaches. Over time, digital eye strain can worsen the sharpness of your vision and increase the risk of other eye diseases.
Fortunately, some simple tips can prevent digital eye strain. Below are 5 recommendations to preserve your eye health when working at a computer.
Just like any organ in your body, your eyes need to be regularly examined. An annual eye examination is one of the best things you can do to prevent vision problems and treat computer vision. During the eye examination, be sure to discuss all your complaints with the eye doctor. Tell your eye doctor how often you use a computer and other digital devices at work or home.
An eye examination usually involves a series of tests to measure the sharpness of your vision and check for eye diseases. Some eye conditions are difficult to notice at early stages without a complete eye exam. If you already have an eye disease, you need to see your ophthalmologist more often than once a year.
Eye strain may also be associated with the lighting in the room where you work. Excessively bright light from outdoor sunlight or from interior lighting often causes eye strain. When you work at a computer, the lighting in the room should be about half as bright as typically found in most offices. To eliminate bright light from the outside, close the windows with drapes, shades, or blinds. If possible, place your computer so that the windows are on the sides.
It is also important to minimize glare. Glare is a light reflecting from the walls, ceiling, and your computer screen. Glare also can cause computer eye strain. To reduce the glare you can use an anti-glare display. Eyeglasses with anti-reflective (AR) coating may also help protect your eye from glare. They help by minimizing the amount of light reflecting from the front and back surfaces of your eyeglass lenses.
Blinking frequently is important when working at a computer. Blinking moistens your eyes, preventing dryness and irritation. In most cases, when working at a computer people blink less frequently. Due to this, the fluid coating your eyes evaporates more quickly and causes eye dryness.
If the air in your office is dry, the moisture evaporates even more quickly.
If you frequently experience eye dryness, you can opt for lubricating eye drops also called artificial tears. Use them several times during the day to moisten your eyes.
To reduce the risk for computer vision syndrome and neck or shoulder pain, it is recommended to take frequent screen breaks during work. You need to take a break for at least 10-minute every hour. During these breaks, you can stand up, move around your office, and stretch your legs, back, neck and shoulders. This will help relax your eyes and reduce muscle tension, resulting in better overall wellbeing.
Computer glasses with photochromic lenses can preserve your eye’s health while working at the computer. They are covered with a special material that reduces eyes’ exposure to potentially harmful blue light emitted by digital devices. If you wear contact lenses, it is also recommended to replace them with eyeglasses. Because of your contacts, your eyes may become dry and cause significant discomfort.
