Six ways to prevent computer eye strain

With so much technology around us it’s hard not to be glued to a gadget. We spend a lot of time on our phones, laptops, tablets and other devices for long periods of time without realizing it.

At work especially, many of us are on the computer the whole day and the result, if we’re not careful, is eye strain.

This is sometimes accompanied by dryness, blurry vision or even headaches. And at this rate, many of us will be wearing glasses and contact lenses in the near future.

But before it gets there, there are so many things we can do to reduce the strain on our eyes whenever use computers and below are some of them.

i. Fix the lighting

Eye strain can often come as a result of indoor and outdoor lighting. When the room is too lit with artificial lighting, it reflects on your screen in a way that can result in straining. This is especially the case with overhead lighting. The same happens when there is too much outdoor lighting reflecting on your computer especially when you have a large window reflecting light in the room.

Be more aware of your environment lighting when it comes to computer use and this will guide you on how to prevent eye-related problems.

ii. Adjust your monitor

Another way of preventing eye strain is adjusting how you look at the screen. Your monitor needs to be at least 20 inches away and the best position to view it is from at 20 degree angle. If you set up your monitor too close or too far, it could easily lead to eye irritation. Adjusting the distance and angle will prevent both eye and neck strains.

iii. Adjust your text size

Part of preventing eye strain is ensuring you can see your work properly without having to strain. You’ll simply need to go to your settings and alter the font to a size that’s not too big nor too small. This will help your eyes function better without getting easily fatigued from squinting and straining.

iv. Take breaks

Sometimes a good break is what you need to give your eyes some recovery time. These days, if you’re not on your laptop, you’re on your iPad. If you’re not on your iPad, you’re on your phone and when you’re not on your phone, you’re watching TV. This constant attachment to devices is a quick way to experience eye problems and irritation. Take a break by exercising your eyes and staying away from your screen for a few minutes.

If you have a busy schedule that requires you to constantly be on your computer, look away from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on an object that’s 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This is known as the 20-20-20 rule.

v. Antiglare and anti-blue light filters

Some studies have shown that a lot of eye strain symptoms are caused by the glare on our screens as well as blue light which is also emitted. To help with these problems, there are many antiglare and blue light filter devices that have been designed. For example, there are many blue light filtering glasses that are being sold to help you if you spend a lot of time on your computer, especially at work. There are also many anti-glare glasses that help ease the strain on our eyes from devices.

vi. Blink more often

Ensure that you take time to blink a couple of times in order to combat dryness. Our eyes often get red and dry after using our devices for long so experts have recommended that we take breaks and moisturize our eyes by simply blinking. If the symptoms get severe, you can get some eye drops as well or consult an eye doctor.