Most adults begin developing eyesight issues once they hit their mid-40s to early 50s, especially when they spend most of their time reading and working on computers. But anyone else can be at risk of eye problems, especially eye strain, because of reading or staring at the phone, computer screen, among other digital devices.
The symptoms of eye strain include eye fatigue, discomfort, dry eyes, blurred vision, red eyes, eye twitching, headaches, and even neck or shoulder pain! If you suffer from any of these symptoms, you aren’t alone. 59% of people who use digital devices experience eye strain as well.
So, how can you get reduce the symptoms? Here are the things your eye doctor in Bloomington Indiana would advise you!
- Blink often
Blinking is crucial when you work in front of the computer screen or use the phone a lot. Doing so will moisten your eyes, preventing any dryness and irritation.
Unsurprisingly, not many people remember to blink. Only about 1/3 of people blink as they normally would. Furthermore, many of the blinks performed during work are merely partial lid closures. This is because we are stimulated and focused on our devices, thus forgetting to blink.
Dry eyes can cause eye problems in the long run, so do remember to blink! Every 20 minutes, blink ten times by closing and opening your eyes slowly.
- Exercise your eyes
Another leading cause of eye strain is from focusing fatigue.
Reduce the risk of tiring your eyes by looking away from your device every 20 minutes, focusing on a distant object about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. We call this the 20-20-20 rule. Doing this exercise allows your eyes’ focusing muscles to relax, thus reducing fatigue.
Another exercise you can do is to look at an object from a distance for 10-15 seconds, then focus on something up close for another 10-15 seconds. Repeat this exercise about ten times, which reduces any risk of your eyes’ focusing abilities locking up after prolonged hours at the computer.
- Take breaks
Reduce the risk of eye strain, computer vision syndrome, and body pain by taking frequent breaks throughout your workday. We suggest taking a 1-minute break every hour. During these breaks, stand up, stretch, and move around a bit to reduce your tension and fatigue around your eyes and other muscles.
- Try computer glasses
For better comfort as you stare at the computer, it may be best to have your eye doctor from clinics like Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care adjust your glasses prescription. If you’re looking for affordable glasses near me, you can find doctors who can provide customized computer glasses, which help those wearing contact lenses, too.
We recommend looking into photochromic lenses or lightly tinted lenses, which can reduce the exposure to harmful blue light your devices would emit.
Wrapping It Up
Follow these tips to help keep your eyes healthy and free from discomfort as you work!
