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5 Ways to Ease Eye Strain During the Pandemic
There’s no denying that our screens are a fundamental part of every day. Generally, people will spend at least two hours a day looking at screens— and even more so now that we are working and schooling from home. However, staring at the phone and computer can result in computer vision syndrome or digital eye strain. But thankfully this condition can easily be controlled and monitored with simple lifestyle changes and proper work habits.
How to Detect Eye Strain
Depending on your environment, equipment and natural vision, you may experience any range of eye strain symptoms ranging from mild to severe. And knowing the signs of eye strain can help you readjust your work habits and seek professional advice in a timely manner.
These are some of the most common symptoms of eye fatigue:
- Tired eyes
- Redness and irritation
- Itchiness
- Burning and stinging
- Dry or watery eyes
- Blurred or double vision
- Heightened sensitivity to light
- Inability to focus
- Headaches
5 Ways to Ease Eye Strain
If you start noticing eye strain or fatigue after long workdays and frequent zoom calls, here are five ways you can address the problem and ease the effects.
1. Take Frequent Breaks
The longer you stare at your screen, the more likely you are to experience intense eye strain symptoms. To avoid this fatigue, take screen breaks every 20 minutes. Abide by the “20-20-20” rule: every 20 minutes, look away for 20 seconds, at an object 20 feet or more away.
2. Blink More
You blink less than half as often when you’re working on a screen, so you must make a conscious effort to blink more. Blinking refreshes your eyes and distributes moisture to the entire surface to stop them from drying out.
You can even use artificial tears for additional moisture if blinking is not doing the trick.
3. Adjust Your Display Settings
Your screen brightness should match your surrounding environment – not so bright that it is a main source of light and not so dark that you have to focus too hard. Additionally, you can increase the text size and enhance the contrast to make working easier on your eyes.
4. Position Your Screen Correctly
Your screen should be positioned about 25 inches away from your face and at or slightly below eye level for increased comfort. Reduce screen glare by eliminating harsh overhead light and ensuring the sun or light source is not in front or behind you. Instead, it should be off to the side.
5. Consider Specialized Computer Glasses
Even if you don’t have an eye condition that requires corrective eyewear, you may benefit from a pair of specialized prescription glasses at work. Customized computer glasses help you focus your eyes on multiple distances, including the moderate range of a computer screen. Plus, adding a photochromic or lightly tinted lens can reduce the effects of blue light. Blue light emissions can be harmful and cause cataracts or macular degeneration down the line.
When to Seek Treatment from the Best Eye Doctors in Dallas
Eye strain is extremely treatable through the above adjustments and rarely needs professional intervention in normal cases. However, if you experience severe or persistent symptoms even hours after you’ve finished working, then there may be a more serious underlying condition.
A yearly comprehensive eye exam can help the best eye doctors in Dallas catch any undiagnosed vision problems that are worsening your eye strain. This condition may also result from an outdated prescription, which your optometrist can update or offer a more permanent solution through corrective eye surgery. You should keep track of how often and how long you use digital devices and share that with your eye doctor, so they can come up with an adequate fix.
At Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas, we create custom solutions for all your daily eye complications, so you can see clearly and comfortably. Schedule a consultation today to learn about your options for vision correction and enhancement.
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