4 Things You Need To Understand About Eye Strain

The truth is that modern digital devices, as much as they enhance our lives, they are not that great for our eyes. Looking at screens for more than a few hours a day can really strain your eyes, which is why you need to know how to take care of your eyes, and when to give your eyes a break.

Set Your Workplace Up to Take Care of Your Eyes

First, you need to set-up your workplace so that you are taking care of your eyes, especially if you spend a lot of your day sitting in front of a computer. To reduce the strain on your eyes, you want your computer screen to be set-up so that the middle of the screen is right below your eye level, and the screen is angled upward, not downwards. This height and angle are good for your eyes.

Additionally, you want to make sure you are not sitting too close to your computer screen. Make sure you have at least a foot and a half of space between yourself and your computer screen. Sitting too close or too far away can strain your eyes.

Reduce Glare on Your Eyes

Second, you need to try to reduce the glare on your screen from lights and windows. That glare not only makes it harder to see what is on your screen, but it also stresses your eyes out. It is often a good idea to get a glare filter for your screen to make the material on your screen easy to read at all times.

This is true not just in the workplace, but any time you are looking at a screen. Try to look at your phone when the screen is shaded, and the light isn't glaring off it. In your home, install blinds or curtains to block the light from hitting your television when you are watching it.

Light glaring off screens is not good for your eyes, so try to reduce light glare when looking at screens.

Give Your Eyes a Break

Third, make sure that you give your eyes a break. Staring at your screen for hours on end will hurt your eyes, just like it does with the television. That doesn't mean that you have to get up from your desk every fifteen minutes, just that about three times an hour, you need to take a few seconds to remove your eyes from the screen and concentrate on something else for about twenty seconds before you look at the screen again. This works best if you look at something that is far away from you, and not right next to you. Doing this will give your eyes a little break, without you having to get up and leave your desk, and will save your eyes from feeling strained.

Know When You Need a Break

Finally, you need to know when you need a break. Do your eyes feel heavy? Do your eyes feel watery or really dry? Are your neck, back, or shoulders sore? Are you getting headaches at the end of the workday? If you are experiencing these things, it is because you need to give your eyes more breaks during the day.

Giving your eyes more breaks during the day will help your productivity and overall health and happiness. Be sure to take care of your eyes, and don't give yourself eye strain for no reason.

For more information about eye health, contact an eye doctor like JC Reiss.

Share