If you work in front of a computer all day, you may notice that your eyes get tired, dry, or itchy, and sometimes red. Staring at a screen for hours at a time can take a toll on your sight. You may worry about how to deal with the discomfort, the headaches, and the heaviness which might be experienced.
COMPUTER SCREENS AND YOUR EYES
If your work involves heavy computer use for 4 hours and more, you may notice some issues with your eye. You’re not alone—at least 50 percent of those who work in front of a computer report eye issues, but the number may be closer to 90 percent. You may notice symptoms like:
• Blurry vision
• Dry, itchy, or red eyes
• Double vision
• Headaches
• Heaviness around the eye
None of these symptoms are fun, and if they’re severe enough, the quality of your work may suffer. These symptoms are often called computer vision syndrome. It is caused by repetitive use: your eyes working hard to keep up reading on a computer screen, and they get tired.
Just reading from a page for a long time can be hard for your eyes, with all the eye movement and close-up focus the task requires, and computers make the problem worse. The glare, flickers, and screen contrast on a computer screen require even more from your vision.
Additionally, when using computers, many people forget to blink. Usually, we weblink around 15 to 20 times per minute, but when reading a screen, we often blink only half that amount. All of that staring can dry out the eyes, which contributes to the irritation.
COMPUTER SCREENS, YOUR EYES, AND YOUR SLEEP HABITS
Viewing computer screens for hours can affect more than your eyes. Most screens are backlit with blue light, which can interfere with your sleep cycle.
If you stay up late using a tablet or a computer, and then you don’t sleep well, you’ll only be contributing to your eyes’ dryness, strain, and discomfort, along with the other adverse effects of sleep deprivation.
HEALTHY EYE HABITS
If your eyes are struggling, you’ll need to make some changes. The most obvious change is to cut down on your screen use, especially in the hour or two before bedtime. However, if you work in front of a computer, you won’t be able to just quit your job. Try the solutions below.
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
If your computer is too close to your face, your eyes will have to strain to stay focused. However, you don’t want your screen to be too far away either. Keep your monitor just below your eye level and about 20 to 28 inches away from your eyes.
GET RID OF GLARE
Extra glare on the computer screen makes your eyes work harder as they try to decipher the text. The biggest cause of glare is natural light, see your eye doctor for the best lenses that will cut off glare and harmful rays from your eyes.
TAKE A BREAK
You can’t get away from your computer, but your eyes still need time off. Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your computer at an object about 20 feet away. Look at that object while blinking for 20 seconds. This will give your eyes a chance to reset their focus.
GET YOUR EYES CHECKED REGULARLY
Going for eye care examinations will ensure that you still have the appropriate prescription for your glasses or lenses. A doctor can also prescribe the appropriate treatment if your eyes are found to be too dry.
CHECK THE PRESCRIPTION OF YOUR GLASSES OR LENSES
Ensure that your prescription is appropriate for close computer work. Glasses or contact lenses that are not of the correct power will cause your eyes to tire easily.
ENSURE GOOD LIGHTING
Proper lighting can help to achieve maximum comfort and, if you are at work, productivity. When in the office, for instance, try to angle your monitor away from light sources and windows so that there is no light reflecting off the screen. This can cause visual disturbances, such as glare and difficulty in seeing words on the computer screen.
ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST OF THE SCREEN
Toggle the display settings of your computer or mobile device to achieve a similar level of brightness as your surroundings. As a guide, if you cannot read the words well, the screen may be too dim, while a screen that is too bright will feel glaring to your eyes.
REST YOUR EYES FREQUENTLY
Your eyes will become drier the longer you spend looking at the screen. A strong draught from air-conditioning also tends to aggravate this problem. Take frequent breaks from the screen to prevent headaches, blurry vision, and dry eyes. If your eyes are dry, consider using lubricating eye drops. These can be prescribed at eye doctors' clinics.
DON'T 'OVERWEAR' OR MISHANDLE YOUR LENSES
Appropriate spectacle lenses should be reviewed every two years all things being equal. Contact lenses should not be slept on (for daily wear) or overused beyond the appropriate time (for extended wear) as they can cause severe infections to the cornea of the eye.
#coiled
#EyeCareOwerri
#eyechecklifecheck
#ProtectYourIndependence
Comments
Post a Comment