Computers might have made working life much easier, but staring at screens all day can do some significant damage to our eyes. In our previous post, we discussed some of the top methods to prevent and relieve eye strain, but had too many to fit in one blog! Here are a few more ways to protect your eyes from computer vision syndrome.
Eye strain often is caused by excessively bright lights, either inside light or exterior sunlight. When you use a computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as the light typically found in most offices. You can eliminate exterior light by closing drapes, shades or blinds. You can reduce interior lighting by using fewer, or lower-intensity, lightbulbs.
Many computer users find that 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 incandescent lighting instead. If your employer is unwilling to make this accommodation, a note from your optometrist might help them reconsider.
If you are able to choose your own laptop or computer, select a model with the highest resolution (or “dot pitch”) possible. A lower dot pitch means a higher resolution. We recommend choosing a display with a dot pitch of .28 mm or smaller.
If you spend most of your day looking at numbers or figures, try zooming in as much as you comfortably can. Reading extra-large numbers and letters may feel a little strange at first, but can significantly help save your eyes from strain and fatigue.
Studies have shown that people working at computers blink about one-third as often as they normally do. Be sure to remember to blink, and close your eyes for half a minute every so often. You can also gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes. Some eye doctors call this the “20-20-20 rule.”
If you are experiencing eye pain or discomfort, our expert optometrists in Raleigh NC can help. Call Raleigh Eye Care today to schedule an appointment.