Now more than ever, many people struggle with eyestrain seeing as we are always staring at phone or computer screens most of the time. Of course, that is not ideal and that is why you could use some tips as far as maintaining your eye health. And since you can learn more at the Maxi Opticals website, for now, we have some tips to help you avoid eyestrain.
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1. Exercise your Eyes
When you are constantly staring at your phone or computer screen, your eyes will get tired. To counter that, you want to look away from your screen about every 20 minutes and stare at a distant object for about 20 seconds.
In the optometry field, this is known as the 20-20-20 rule. Gazing at a distant object relaxes the muscles in your eyes to minimize fatigue.
Alternatively, you can stare at a distant object for a few seconds and then gaze at something close for several seconds as well. Do this repetitively to minimize your focusing ability from locking up.
2. Blink Often
Did you know that when you are staring at a screen, you blink less often? You may not have thought about it, but blinking is crucial when using your digital devices as it moistens your eyes, thus reducing irritation and dryness.
Of course, dry eyes can lead to serious eye issues, and you do not want that. You, therefore, want to remind yourself to blink often or ask your optometrist about artificial tears to moisturize your eyes in case they are dry.
3. Adjust your Display Settings.
Yes, you read that right. Adjusting your phone or computer screen settings can help reduce eye fatigue and strain. For instance, the brightness of your screen should be the same as the light surrounding you while the contrast and text size should be comfortable, particularly when composing or reading documents. A white background with black print is always ideal.
4. Get Computer Glasses
Getting a pair of computer glasses can help reduce eye strain, especially if you frequently wear contact lenses, as they tend to get dry and uncomfortable when staring at digital screens for a long time. The glasses are a great choice if you wear progressive lenses and bifocals as well, since they are not ideal for a computer screen.
5. Minimize Glare
Glare comes from light reflecting off finished surfaces and walls as well as reflections on a computer screen, and it can cause eye strain. In that regard, you may want to get an anti-glare screen for your display.
If you can, paint brightly colored walls a darker color with a matte finish to avoid light reflections. If you use glasses, consider getting a pair with an anti-reflective coating, as they will reduce the amount of light reflecting off the back and front surfaces of your lenses.
Final Thoughts
Going for an annual eye exam is the best way to diagnose and prevent impending eye issues, but before that, you want to keep your eyes at optimal health. One of the things you can do to guarantee that is preventing eyestrain. With the tips we have talked about, that shouldn’t be so hard.
