This past year, many children and adults have taken on a drastically different form of schooling and work that is entirely online. With the sudden change in office and school attendance, we have noticed an increased amount of younger children and adults experiencing eye strain while working from the computer. With the amount of workload due from their virtual classrooms and offices, they are required to sit in front of a screen for longer periods of time. Today, we’re sharing a few tips on how you can help prevent eye strain associated with computers.

Eye strain is often caused by excessively bright light, either from harsh interior lighting or sunlight through a window. When you use a computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as most offices. You can eliminate exterior light by closing blinds or shutting drapes. Interior light can be reduced by simply using fewer lower intensity light bulbs. Also, if possible, position your computer screen so that windows are to the side rather than in front or behind.

Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, practice the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for 20 seconds at an object 20 feet away. By looking far away, you relax the focusing muscles inside the eye and reduce fatigue. You should also remember to blink frequently! Blinking moistens your eyes and prevents dry eyes and irritation. Studies have shown that when staring at a screen, people blink less often. In fact, they only blink about one-third as often as they normally do.

Many people have also been struggling with glare from light reflecting from windows or off the walls. If you find yourself struggling with glare, consider installing an anti-glare screen on your monitor’s display and, if possible, paint the bright white walls a darker color with a matte finish. This will help create an anti-reflective workspace and will help eliminate all glare.

Lastly, you may want to consider getting computer eyewear. Computer glasses can reduce your exposure to potentially harmful blue light emitted by all digital devices, including your phone. Another quick fix would be to adjust your display settings to reduce your digital device’s blue light for a warmer image quality.

For more information on avoiding computer eye strain, ask your eye doctor for details and advice. Schedule your appointment with Snead Eye Group by calling us today.