How to reduce eye strain from computer

Q: Does computer eye strain go away?

Eyestrain can be annoying. But it usually isnt serious, and it goes away once you rest your eyes or take other steps to reduce your eye discomfort. In some cases, symptoms of eyestrain can indicate an underlying eye condition that needs treatment.

Q: Do blue light glasses prevent eye strain?

Though blue light glasses arent effective at preventing digital eye strain, there is no harm in wearing them. It is not harmful to wear them all day,” says Dr. Bajic.

How much time do you spend looking at your computer, tablet, phone, or TV each day? The answer for most American adults is 11 hours, on average.

Table of Contents Show

1. Reevaluate your workspace ergonomics
2. Adjust the lights
3. Blink more often
4. Take regular breaks
5. Try blue light blocking glasses
6. Get regular eye exams
Seven Tips On How To Reduce Eye Strain When Working With Computers
Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or Digital Eye Strain:
Seven Tips On How To Reduce Eye Strain When Working With Computers
1. Use correct ambient lighting
2. Adjust your work environment to encourage good posture and alignment
3. Pay attention to your monitor settings to minimize glare
4. Give your eyes frequent breaks throughout the day
5. Don’t forget to blink often!
6. Consider computer glasses or reflective lenses
7. Get a comprehensive, periodic eye exam
Does computer eye strain go away?
How can I protect my eyes from screen time?
Do blue light glasses prevent eye strain?

Whether you use a computer all day at work or you spend your personal time catching up on social media, that’s a lot of hours. Looking at screens all day long probably won’t ruin your vision permanently, but it might lead to an increasingly common condition called computer vision syndrome.

Computer vision syndrome, or simply digital eye strain, includes symptoms like dry eyes, blurry vision, and headaches. Along with bothersome vision symptoms, you might experience tech neck — or pain in your head, neck, and shoulders.

Screen time is an unavoidable part of our daily lives, but there’s a lot you can do to protect your eyes. Melanie Frogozo, OD, FAAO, FSLS, Swati Kumar, OD, FAAO, and our eye team at Alamo Eye Care provide comprehensive eye care for people of all ages, including ways to prevent the symptoms of computer vision syndrome.

Here are our favorite tips to reduce eye strain every day:

1. Reevaluate your workspace ergonomics

The goal of ergonomics in your workspace is to increase productivity and comfort. Choose a desk chair that supports your upper body and encourages you to sit up straight with your neck in a neutral position.

Adjust your desktop monitor to be about an arm’s length away and at or near your eye level. No matter what type of screen you’re using, make sure it’s aligned with your head to take strain off your eyes and your neck. Screens should be directly in front of your face and slightly below eye level for maximum comfort.

2. Adjust the lights

The light your device emits, glare on the screen, and the level of light around you can all increase strain on your eyes. To avoid digital eye strain, your device should be the brightest light in the room.

Consider increasing the brightness on your device when you’re in a bright environment, like in the office or outdoors. Lower the brightness if you’re in a dark room. Cleaning your screen regularly also helps eliminate dust and smudges that can make glare worse.

3. Blink more often

Blinking distributes tears across the surface of your eyes to keep them comfortable, but we naturally blink less when we’re focused on screens. You blink 15-20 times a minute when you aren’t looking at a screen, but you blink less than half as much when you are.

Becoming conscious of how often you blink could reduce symptoms of digital eye strain. Get in the habit of blinking more often when you’re using a device or watching TV.

4. Take regular breaks

Along with trying to blink more frequently, start taking regular breaks throughout the day to give your eyes a break. Consider implementing the 20-20-20 rule: take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.

Focusing on something other than a screen for even a few minutes helps reduce strain on your eyes. Plus, getting up or stretching could lower your risk of muscle fatigue and tech neck.

5. Try blue light blocking glasses

Blue light waves are naturally found in sunlight, but devices also emit high levels of blue light. Prolonged exposure to artificial blue light could contribute to eye fatigue and even affect your ability to sleep at night.

Computer glasses, or blue light-blocking glasses, stop excessive blue light from reaching your eyes. Wearing blue light glasses when you’re using your computer, tablet, phone, or watching TV could improve symptoms of digital eye strain.

6. Get regular eye exams

Blinking less, blue light, and more can all increase your risk of digital eye strain, but untreated eye conditions could be causing vision symptoms too. Common issues like astigmatism or farsightedness could make your eyes hurt, whether or not you’re staring at screens.

Getting eye exams at Alamo Eye Care is one of the best ways to identify eye problems and find effective treatment. Our team recommends comprehensive exams at regular intervals depending on your age and medical history, but you can also schedule an appointment any time you’re concerned about your vision.

It’s not easy to cut down on screen time in today’s digital world, but these tips can help protect your eyes from excessive strain. Learn more about keeping your eyes healthy and your vision strong with a consultation at Alamo Eye Care. Contact us online or call the office for an appointment.

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Seven Tips On How To Reduce Eye Strain When Working With Computers

By PEC

Posted July 3, 2018

In Eye Care

Seven Tips On How To Reduce Eye Strain When Working With Computers2018-07-032020-05-18/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/piedmont-eye-care-logo.pngPiedmont Eye Carehttps://www.charlotteoptometry.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/how-to-reduce-eye-strain-when-working-with-computers.jpg200px200px

Many of our patients ask us how to reduce eye strain when working with computers. More and more people spend their work and leisure life looking at computer and device screens. As a result, computer eye strain is a side effect of modern life.

You can reduce digital eye strain without giving up your job, using the internet, gaming, or social media. Developing eye friendly habits and adjusting your environment you offer your eyes relief.

Before we discuss ways to reduce eye strain, it helps to recognize some of the signs and symptoms.

Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or Digital Eye Strain:

Tired eyes
Strained feeling eyes
Blurry vision
Dry eyes
Headaches
Shoulder and neck pain

Glare from devices and computer monitors cause digital eye strain. According to the American Optometric Association, the average American worker with a desk job spends at least seven hours a day looking at computer screens.

That statistic doesn’t include leisure screen use including social media use, watching streaming media, playing games, and surfing the web. Some creative hobbies including writing, photography, and digital design also contribute to excessive screen time.

In addition, many readers now use their phone or tablet to read e-books. Reading from a screen is different from reading from a tablet, phone, or computer monitor. Depending on the page and your settings, the contrast may not be high enough and sometimes the edges or details are not sharp enough.

Try the following techniques to use your computer with less eye strain. Make an effort to live an eye-healthy lifestyle to enjoy healthy vision.

Seven Tips On How To Reduce Eye Strain When Working With Computers

1. Use correct ambient lighting

Correct lighting makes a difference. Your ambient lighting should be brighter than your monitor. This reduces some of the strain from the glare of monitors and devices. Poor lighting contributes to eye strain.

2. Adjust your work environment to encourage good posture and alignment

Good posture and an ergonomically friendly workstation help reduce eye strain and other issues. Position your monitor at arms length (or slightly over two feet away).

Next, make sure your monitor sits at around 10 degrees below eye level. Adjust your desk or chair to create healthy alignment.

Consider a humidifier if the air is dry to help keep your eyes moist. In addition, consider using a matte screen filter.

3. Pay attention to your monitor settings to minimize glare

Adjust your monitor’s brightness so it is a little dimmer than your ambient lighting.

Too much blue light causes premature eye aging. The sun is our primary source of blue light, but LED monitors result in increased blue light exposure. Adjusting your color settings to decrease the blue light or even using “night time” settings help reduce blue light.

Adjust the contrast for ease of viewing. If necessary, upgrade your monitor. When images are sharp, you read from a screen with less strain.

4. Give your eyes frequent breaks throughout the day

People suffer from digital eye strain even with an optimized workstation and monitor. Give your eyes frequent breaks from staring at screens. One helpful technique is following the 20-20-20 rule:

Take a break every 20 minutes
Look at a non-digital object at least 20 feet away
Focus on that object for 20 seconds

In addition, take a 15-minute break every couple hours that you spend using your computer or device. Finally, if you work in front of a computer, look for ways to reduce your leisure screen time.

Take frequent breaks and your eyes will thank you! Speaking of frequent breaks, blinking offers your eyes a micro break.

5. Don’t forget to blink often!

According to WebMD, people typically blink 15 times a minute. Blinking keeps eyes lubricated by spreading tears. Unfortunately, when we stare at computers we tend not to blink enough.

Make an effort to blink naturally and consider supplementing with artificial tears to keep your eyes well lubricated. Not blinking also contributes to dry eye.

If you wear contact lenses, give your eyes a break since they also contribute to dry eyes.

Some patients find that eye healthy habits like taking breaks and blinking make a huge difference in managing eye strain. However, many patients also need professional treatment.

6. Consider computer glasses or reflective lenses

Specialized computer glasses reduce glare and symptoms. These glasses filter blue light to protect the eyes. We carry Blutech lenses which can help reduce eye strain, blurred vision and headaches related to too much screen time.

Speaking of blue light, if you want to learn more about how blue light affects your eyes, you can check out some of your past blog posts on the subject!

7. Get a comprehensive, periodic eye exam

Visit your eye care professional every year to track your eye health and seek treatment for any vision issues. Preventative medicine helps maintain healthy vision.

Your optometrist conducts a thorough examination. The exam may include:

Questions about your personal and family history and lifestyle
Visual acuity measures to gauge your vision and any changes
A refraction test
Testing of your eye focus, tracking, and how well they work together
Any other tests that seem relevant

Be sure to talk with your optometrist about how to reduce eye strain when working with computers. Ask any questions specific to your situation and lifestyle.

Piedmont Eye Care offers comprehensive vision care for Charlotte residents. We use best vision care practices and modern technology to offer cutting-edge vision care options. If you haven’t had your annual exam, contact us today.

Does computer eye strain go away?

Eyestrain can be annoying. But it usually isn't serious, and it goes away once you rest your eyes or take other steps to reduce your eye discomfort. In some cases, symptoms of eyestrain can indicate an underlying eye condition that needs treatment.

How can I protect my eyes from screen time?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, shift the eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds. Looking into the distance allows the eyes to relax. If necessary, set a timer as a reminder.

Do blue light glasses prevent eye strain?

Though blue light glasses aren't effective at preventing digital eye strain, there is no harm in wearing them. “It is not harmful to wear them all day,” says Dr. Bajic.