8 Tips to Reduce Eye Strain
The average American worker, in normal (non-corona virus) times, spends seven hours per day on a computer, either in the office or working from home. For many of us, COVID19 has drastically restructured our lives, confining us to our homes, and almost wiping out our social lives. Between working from home, homeschooling, socializing via Zoom parties, and entertainment streaming, the pandemic has caused a massive increase in our screen time, as so many of our regular daily activities have moved indoors and online. While this is unavoidable in the circumstances, it is not great news for our physical health in general and our eyes in particular.
Computer Vision Syndrome (also known as Digital Eye Strain) is described by the American Optometric Association as a number of eye and vision-related problems, resulting from prolonged use of computers, tablets, phones, and other devices. Many people experience eye and vision problems when using digital screens for extended periods of time, and the severity of the problem seems to increase with the amount of time spent looking at a digital screen. So far, there is no medical consensus on how much screen time is safe for our eyes. Research shows that adults can spend as much as 11 hours per day on some kind of device.
Many of the symptoms people experience are temporary and will get better after stopping the use of the device, but some people continue to suffer visual issues, such as blurred vision, even after switching off the screen. If not addressed, their symptoms can recur and even worsen over time.
So, why is staring at a screen so potentially harmful for us? Reading on a computer or any digital screen is not the same as reading a printed page. The letters on a device are not as sharply defined as print, and characters on a computer screen don't have the same degree of contrast to the background, and the presence of glare and reflection on the screen may interfere with our vision. Words on a screen are created by combining tiny points of light (pixels), brightest at their center and less so at their edge, making it harder for our eyes to maintain focus. Naturally, our eyes want to settle on a more comfortable, reduced level of focusing called the resting point of accommodation or RPA. Our eyes move unconsciously to the RPA and then strain to focus on the screen again. This continuous flexing and relaxing of the eyes' muscles are what causes fatigue and strain.
The most common symptoms associated with Computer Vision Syndrome are:
Eyestrain
Headache
Blurred vision
Dry eyes
Neck and shoulder pain
In addition to the difficulties associated with reading pixelated digital text, these symptoms may also be caused/worsened by poor lighting, having the wrong viewing distance, or poor sitting posture. So, preventing or reducing problems involves making changes to our work environment: controlling lighting and glare on the screen and ensuring proper working distances and posture for viewing the screen, as well as periodically resting the eyes.
8 tips for reducing Computer Vision Syndrome:
Proper body positioning: View your computer from a position where your eyes are looking slightly downward. Optimally, the screen should be 15 - 20 degrees below eye level (about 5 inches) measured from the center of the screen and 20 - 28 inches away from your eyes. Your chair should be comfortable for your body. Adjust its height so your feet rest flat on the floor. Your wrists shouldn't rest on the keyboard when you are typing.
Holding documents: Ideally, documents and papers should be placed between the keyboard and the monitor. Place your documents so you won’t need to move your head constantly to look from the papers to the screen.
Lighting: Position your computer screen to avoid glare falling from overhead lighting or windows. Use blinds where you can and change the light bulbs to low wattage. Place your computer so that windows are to your side, not in front of or behind your screen.
Anti-glare screens: Invest in an anti-glare screen protector to decrease the amount of light reflected from your screen. Adjust the brightness of your screen to a comfortable level. It should be about the same brightness as your surrounding environment.
Take lots of rest breaks: Try to rest your eyes when you’re using the computer for long periods. Stand up and walk away from your screen at least every 30 minutes. Move around and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders to reduce tension and muscle fatigue.
Blinking - To prevent dry eye, try to train yourself to blink more frequently. Blinking keeps the surface of your eye moist, so practice blinking after reading every two or three paragraphs on your screen.
Exercise your eyes: Start using the “20-20-20” rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on something at least 20 feet away from you for at least 20 seconds. This will help relax the muscles of your eyes.
Computer glasses: If you use contact lenses, wearing computer glasses can be much more comfortable than wearing contacts, which can sometimes dry out your eyes. For everyone else, there is currently a hot debate about the benefits of using computer or “blue light” glasses among ophthalmologists. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has yet to endorse its use as they have not firmly established a link between blue light and eye strain but many eye professionals are reporting positive results from their patients.
So, while the medical jury is still out on how much screen time is too much for our eyes and whether blue light is really harmful to us, the best way forward is to follow the above advice, set up your workstation as ergonomically as you can and give yourself and your eyes as many work breaks as possible. Our website has some great exercises you can try – follow these links for Neck and Shoulder Tension Release and Eye Yoga.
by The SweatSocial