Computers are everywhere and nearly everyone uses them. It has become “normal” for
people to focus on a screen for hours upon hours every day.
But it’s not so great for the eyes. While you’re staring at the computer screen, the lenses
of your eyes bulge outward. This can cause headaches and fatigue, and put accumulated
strain and stress on your eye muscles over time.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to relieve computer eye strain is to take
frequent breaks and look out the window (or at least across the room) for a minute or two.
This relaxes your eyeballs, so the lenses flatten out again.
If you’re having eye strain, we can help you design ergonomic strategies and set you up
with computer-wear glasses or contacts to soften your vision while you work.
In the meantime, here are some more ways to reduce eye strain if you work in front of a
computer screen:
- Minimize and maximize brightness and contrast until you find a setting that’s
most comfortable for you. - Clean your computer screen often for better optics. Computer screens are
notorious dust collectors. - Minimize glare. Try taking a pocket mirror, holding it up against your computer
monitor and seeing if light is shining back at you from a source somewhere in
the room. If there is, tilt your monitor differently or adjust the light source so that
you’re not getting glare. Antiglare shields also help. - Blink often. It refreshes your eyes and keeps them moist. Sometimes, staring at
the computer, we forget to blink. - Get up and move around once in a while.
- You should never have to strain your neck! Ideally, the computer screen should be
about 20 to 25 inches in front of your eyes, and at about a 10 to 15-degree angle
below your eyes. (But most importantly, be aware of what feels right.) - Make sure the rest of your work area is well-lit, without causing glare on your
screen.
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