You use it at the office. You use it at home to check your personal email and surf social media. We’re talking about the computer.
According to MarketWatch, adults are staring at a screen for about 11 hours per day whether working, surfing social media, or reading local news.
Raleigh eye doctors offer you 3 eye safety tips while using a computer.
Yes, you may have that deadline to meet at work or that written paper to cram before it’s due for your online class at midnight, but do not forget to incorporate breaks into your computer time.
The general rule of thumb is to use the computer for 20 minutes, focus on an object that is 20 feet or more away from you, and then resume your work. Other ways to take a break from screen time for 3-10 minutes are:
Stretching exercises.
Bathroom break.
Meal or snack break.
As you are reading text on a computer screen, your eyes tend to blink less as you absorb this information that you are browsing. Try to blink your eyes as much as you can to reduce eye strain. You can:
If you are typing text, blink a few times while you are thinking of what to type next.
Blink your eyes slowly ten times keeping them closed for a few seconds each. Do this for every 20 minutes of screen time.
For each paragraph of text you are reading online, blink 2-3 times to rewet your eyes.
If you use a computer often for work or you are a frequent gamer, blogger, or social media influencer, schedule regular eye exams to keep your eyes healthy.
According to Aetna, if you are ages 20-39, your exam should be every 5 years. People aged 40-54 should get their eyes checked every 2-4 years and so forth. These ranges are for people who do not have vision problems or eye strain symptoms.
For those who use a computer regularly, consider getting an eye exam every 1-2 years just to be on the safe side.
When you are trying to find your “local optometrist near me”, consider (name of practice).
If you use a computer often, consider typing “local optometrist near me” into Google and find (name of practice). We are accepting new patients and would be happy to serve your eye health needs!