Dry Eyes, Eye Care, Eye Protection
Protecting Your Eyes from Computer Vision Syndrome
If you work in front of a computer all day, you may have noticed a change in your vision. Staring at a computer screen for hours can lead to computer vision syndrome. CVS, also referred to as digital eye strain, can cause various symptoms that impact your daily life. Headaches, blurred vision, and dry, itchy eyes are common signs that your work impacts your eyes. Even worse, working in front of a computer screen for extended periods can take a toll on your eyesight.
Believe it or not, just two hours in front of a computer screen can have a significant impact on your vision. With between 45 to 70 million people working remotely, it’s no surprise that there has been a rise in computer vision syndrome over the last several years. So, how do you protect your eyesight and avoid vision problems when you have no choice but to work from a computer? Let’s discuss!
How Do Computer Screens Impact Your Eyes?
If your work involves staring at a computer screen for several hours a day, you are not alone. Unfortunately, nearly 90% of workers whose day involves at least 1-2 hours of computer time experience vision issues as a result. Extended exposure to computer screens can lead to dry eyes, blurry vision, double vision, and headaches. When these symptoms become severe, they don’t just reduce the quality of your work, but they also impact your overall eye health.
As your eyes work hard to read what’s on your computer screen, they understandably get tired. Add the glare, flickers, and screen contrast to the constant eye movement and focus, and it’s no wonder your vision is impacted. Additionally, many people only blink half as usual when reading a computer screen. This can dry your eyes out and lead to irritation.
Since most screens are backlit with blue light, extended computer usage can also interfere with your sleep cycle. When you don’t sleep well, this also contributes to eye dryness, strain, and discomfort. Luckily, your eyes will get the rest they need to restore healthy vision if you take some time off from the computer.
7 Tips to Protect Your Eyes from Computer Vision Syndrome
If you’re struggling with computer vision syndrome, you’ll need to make some changes to your daily habits. Realistically, many people can’t avoid or cut down on screen usage due to job requirements. Still, there are some steps you can take to protect your eyes and prevent irritation and discomfort.
- Modify Your Workstation
Did you know that how your workspace is set up can put you at a higher risk of eye strain? There are several ways your current workstation can impact your eye health. To avoid computer vision syndrome, take the following steps:
- Make sure you’re seated at least an arm’s length away from the screen. You should be able to high-five your computer screen with your arm fully extended.
- Aim your screen four to five inches below eye level. You should be looking downward at your screen, as looking up can strain your eyes and lead to headaches.
- Make sure your office chair helps you maintain a proper posture with adequate support.
Assess your current office setup if you struggle with headaches or dry, itchy eyes. An optimal computer setup can reduce vision symptoms considerably. Take the steps necessary to adjust your workspace, as mentioned above.
- Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule is an easy way to reduce computer-related vision issues. It follows a simple solution of avoiding eye strain by giving your eyes frequent breaks. Here’s how to incorporate the 20-20-20 rule into your days: direct your gaze towards something that’s at least 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. This concept forces your eyes to move to a long-distance perception, giving them a moment to rest and reset.
- Use Adequate Lighting
The lighting in your office can also increase the impact of your computer screen on your vision. As a rule of thumb, your computer screen should be the brightest glowing object in the room. Natural or fluorescent lights can create a workspace that is too bright for your eyes. If lighting is an issue, try using softer lighting options like LEDs. You can also use blinds to reduce natural light. Be sure to dust your screen regularly, as well. Dust particles can reflect light and cause a significant source of glare.
- Adjust Your Settings
Take some time to adjust your computer settings to meet your specific needs. Do whatever you can to make your screen easy to read. You never want to find yourself straining your eyes to read something on your screen. Enlarge the text size, adjust contrast levels, and tweak the color temperature of your screen. Avoid blue light tones as much as possible, as they are linked to eye strain issues. Play around with your settings until you find what works best for you.
- Invest in Protective Gear
There are several ways to protect your eyes from computer vision syndrome today. As more and more patients reported vision-related issues, the healthcare industry began to market products that help protect your eyes from screen-related problems. You can place a glare filter over your computer screen or invest in blue light-reducing glasses.
If you experience symptoms, schedule an eye test. Discuss your screen use with your ophthalmologist. If necessary, they will recommend glasses that help reduce eye strain. They can also prescribe lenses with anti-glare tints made explicitly for computer work. If you wear contact lenses, consider switching to glasses while working on the computer. Contacts have been reported to easily cause irritation and dryness when worn for prolonged periods.
- Remember to Blink
While this might sound like an obvious tip, it’s crucial to blink! Blinking keeps our eyes lubricated and helps prevent infection. While the body is naturally inclined to blink, research shows that patients tend not to blink as often when focusing on a computer screen. If this is a problem for you, create habits. For example, actively blink when you open a new email, switch to a new website page, or toggle between apps.
- Get Rid of Glare
Glare isn’t simply a nuisance when it comes to your computer screen. Extra glare also makes your eyes work harder to decipher the text you read. If you have extra glare from overhead lights or natural light coming through your windows, do your best to reduce it. You can also adjust your computer screen or add a glare filter to help.
If you’re having trouble with your eyes, consider your screen usage. If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen for work or school, follow the tips listed above. Don’t forget to take frequent breaks and move around regularly. Even a short rest can help ease the discomfort associated with computer vision syndrome. If your eyes become particularly dry, sore, irritated, or blurry vision gets worse, give us a call to schedule an appointment to discuss your options!