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Eye strain is a common condition affecting many people today. This is primarily due to the excessive time we spend staring at screens such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. Prolonged staring at the same spot can cause the eye muscles to tighten, resulting in eye strain and temporary blurred vision. In children, this can even lead to nearsightedness. This occurs due to issues with the eye's ability to adapt, leading to a flattened lens. Eye strain can also cause headaches, dry eyes, and even blurry vision. The good news is that there are numerous ways to prevent this condition, many of which are inexpensive or even free.
Steps
Relax Your Eyes
Apply the 20-6-20 rule. While working on a computer, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 6 meters away. If there’s a window near your workspace, you can look outside.
- You can also move your eyes from a near object to a distant one, switching between the two every 10 seconds at least 10 times to "exercise" your eyes.
Blink more frequently. Eye strain occurs because you tend to blink less when focused on something, like a computer screen. You need to be mindful of blinking while working and make an effort to blink more often.
Roll your eyes. Closing your eyes and rolling them can help lubricate them. It also helps relax the tight muscles.
- Close your eyes and roll them in a circular motion. Roll clockwise, then counterclockwise. This not only helps relax the eyes but also makes you feel better.
Look around the room. After focusing on the screen for an extended period, you should take a break by slowly looking around the room, keeping your eyes moving continuously and focusing on objects at different distances.
Look upward. Close your eyes and look as high as possible without feeling discomfort. Keep your eyes still for a moment, then look down while keeping your eyes closed.
- Repeat several times and then relax your eyes for a while.
- Next, close your eyes as before and look to the right and left. Repeat.
Try the palm pressing method. The eye muscles are like streams, and they shouldn’t be kept stretched too long. Otherwise, the ability to recover could weaken. To prevent this, you can take some steps to relax your eyes. Palm pressing involves resting and warming up your eyes by using heat through friction. Here's how to do it:
- Rub your palms together to create heat.
- Close your eyes.
- Gently place your palms on your eyes and hold for a few minutes.
- Reheat your palms as necessary.
Change the Environment
Adjust the screen position. The angle at which you view the screen can impact eye strain. You should position the screen slightly lower than your eye level.
- Specifically, the top of the screen should be parallel to your eyes when you look straight ahead.
- This angle keeps your neck in a natural position, and your eyes will work less.
Adjust the face position. Try to position your face as far from the screen as possible: a distance of 50-100 cm is ideal.
- It may seem like your eyes are working harder, but they are actually more relaxed at this distance.
- To read the screen comfortably at this distance, you will need a larger font or screen size.
Adjust brightness and contrast. Lower the brightness and increase the contrast. This makes the screen easier on your eyes.
- A screen that’s too bright can cause discomfort to your eyes.
- If there isn’t enough contrast between the black and white on the screen, your eyes will strain. This happens because they struggle to distinguish between different items on the screen, which leads to more fatigue.
Clean the screen. Cleaning the screen removes static particles that might be emitted from the computer monitor. These particles can push dust towards your eyes, causing discomfort and strain. Additionally, cleaning the screen can reduce glare.
- Wipe the screen daily with an anti-static solution sprayed on a cloth.
Adjust the lighting. You should aim to create an environment with lighting that matches your computer screen. The ideal workspace will have soft lighting, limited natural light, no fluorescent lighting, and non-reflective surfaces.
- The key is to set the correct amount of lux, or light passing through a surface. Lux is the standard unit of lighting. For regular office work, aim to illuminate the room to about 500 lux. The packaging on light bulbs will help you select the appropriate lux level.
- Changing light bulbs and adjusting office blinds can also help reduce eye strain.
- If you can’t control the lighting, you can adjust the color settings on your screen. This is known as adjusting the color temperature. Typically, a slightly cooler color tone can reduce eye strain. On Windows computers, you can adjust the color settings through the control panel.
- There are now software tools that automatically adjust your screen’s color based on the time of day to compensate for changes in natural light. One such tool is f.lux, which helps you view your screen in low light or at night.
Reduce glare. Harsh glare from your computer screen can also strain your eyes. If you can’t control the lighting in your workspace, consider purchasing an anti-glare screen filter or wearing anti-glare glasses.
- The anti-glare filter also provides added privacy benefits. It prevents others from viewing your screen’s content when observed directly from the front.
- This type of filter is typically intended for desktop monitors rather than personal laptops.
Upgrade your monitor. Consider buying a high-resolution display. These monitors tend to be easier on the eyes.
- Older monitors tend to flicker more, while new high-resolution monitors provide proper illumination. Flickering can increase eye strain.
- Older large screens also have slower refresh rates, forcing your eyes to constantly adjust each time an image is reloaded on the screen.
Organize your work materials. Constantly shifting your eyes can cause strain and discomfort unless you practice eye exercises. To avoid this, consider getting a document stand so your materials are easier to view. Place the stand next to your monitor to reduce eye movement.
- Constantly shifting your focus makes your eyes refocus on different reading materials.
- If the object is just a few centimeters away, your eyes don’t need to refocus.
- If you’re skilled at “touch typing” and don’t need to look at the keyboard or screen, this is even better. You can keep your eyes on something else while typing, cutting down on the time spent staring at the screen.
Fixing Severe Eye Strain
Take a break. If eye strain becomes severe or begins to affect your vision, step away from the computer and avoid bright lights. If possible, step outside for some natural sunlight. Additionally, you should reduce indoor lighting intensity and rest in an area free from glaring lights for greater comfort.
Wear glasses. If you need glasses but don’t have the right pair, or if they don’t have the proper prescription, it could exacerbate eye strain. Make sure your prescription glasses are correctly measured to avoid unnecessary strain on your eyes.
- If you wear bifocal glasses, you may find yourself tilting your head uncomfortably when using the computer. You might want to consult with an eye specialist to see if progressive lenses work better for you.
- Computer glasses can be helpful but must be prescribed by an optometrist. These glasses reduce the strain of your eyes trying too hard to focus, which may alleviate eye fatigue.
- Additionally, purchasing glasses with an anti-reflective coating can help minimize glare from your computer screen. These glasses are now available over-the-counter for those without vision correction needs.
- Look for tinted glasses for use while working on your computer. Some glasses have a light pink tint to block glare, while others have a coating that blocks blue light wavelengths that cause eye strain.
See a doctor. If symptoms worsen or persist, seek immediate medical help by having someone call a doctor for assistance.
- If you frequently experience eye strain, it’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible. You should have your eyes examined to ensure that your prescription glasses are correct.
- You may need to switch to bifocals or another type of lens to resolve the issue.
- You might also be suffering from migraines, a severe form of headache that requires medical attention. A proper diagnosis is important to understand the cause of your migraines so that you can prevent them in the future.
Advice
- Stay hydrated. Dry eyes can lead to fatigue, and a simple way to prevent both is by drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day.
- Use artificial tears to help restore moisture to your eyes when they feel dry.
- To help prevent dry eyes while working indoors, consider using an air purifier to filter dust and a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
Warning
- If you experience severe eye strain or discomfort with symptoms like headaches, migraines, or blurred vision, it's crucial to consult with a specialist. Intense eye fatigue or pain accompanied by issues such as headaches, migraines, impaired vision, or other concerning symptoms should be checked by a doctor. Visit an ophthalmologist or go to the nearest emergency room for proper evaluation.
- Just like other muscles in the body, your eye muscles require exercise, rest from harsh lighting, and proper care. If the strain persists despite trying these methods, it's advisable to seek advice from an ophthalmologist for further consultation. You might experience eye pain or tension, so prioritizing a visit to a specialist is recommended.
