A lot of people think that having an eye strain is typical in everyday life. Perhaps that is because of the ideal time they spend staring at their books, smartphones, computer screens, tablets, and televisions. The eyes have to put up effort into looking at something within a few feet of a particular range. Sometimes, an average time runs approximately ten hours of eye exposure to such stuff. According to Timothy Legg, PhD, CRNP, “the Vision Council reports that 87 percent of those in the United States use one or more digital devices for more than two hours a day.”
Every day, everybody is looking at something close up, so there is quite a tendency that almost above the average of people experience eye strain. To relieve that, here are some tips to follow.
Take A Break
Eye strain is not something that people should worry that much. Taking a break from doing things that pressure the eyes is helpful. Let’s say individuals spend more than two hours with their smartphones, 20 seconds to 20-minute eye rest will help restart the function of sight. However, for those individuals who seem to suffer from headache along with an eye strain, it is much better if they rest for at least a couple of hours.
Blink And Look Away
People experience eye strain because of too much exposure in a close distance range. In most cases, they forget to blink due to the excessive amount of eye focus. So one way to reduce that eye tension is blinking and looking to a distance. The process will allow the eyes to find its center again and to move away from focusing on particular stuff. The appropriate shift of sight is at least 20 feet away, so always remember that.
“Rather than keeping your eyes focused on the computer screen for hours at a time, interrupt this process every 15 minutes by briefly looking out of the window or around the room,” says Andrew Dahl, MD, FACS. He also added that “when performing extended visual tasks of all sorts, occasionally stand up, move about, and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders.”
Use A Wider Screen
For those individuals who often use a computer or laptop, it is much better if they use a wider screen. It helps in reducing eye strain when it gets angled-up a little bit. If people can get it in comfortable eye height, and a convenient front distance, that would be much better. Also, set up the light of the screen according to the light of the surrounding to help prevent glaring.
Make Use Of The Surrounding Light
Aside from the light of the screen, people should work in a well-lighted area. It will help in creating a balance surrounding that will enhance the eyes’ capability to function. Avoid reading or working in a dim room because it adds more strain on the eyes. If in case the light is too much, it is much better to adjust the positioning to get the right amount of light.
“Many computer users find their eyes feel better if they can avoid working under overhead fluorescent lights. If possible, turn off the overhead fluorescent lights in your office and use floor lamps that provide indirect “soft white” LED lighting instead,” says Gary Heiting, OD, and Larry K. Wan, OD.
Set Up A Proper Workplace
When using the eyes, it is also essential to think about where to sit to get an angle comfortable with the desk. If it is possible to have the monitor away, that would be perfect. Setting it at least 3 feet away diminishes the amount of the eye’s effort in focusing on something.
These useful guidelines go a long way in keeping your eyes away from ocular strain and stress. But remember that the health of the eyes will still depend on how much time and what task people should spend using it.