Are you one of the 42% of Americans working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? If you are sitting at a computer screen in Zoom meetings or working all day, you are at a higher risk of developing computer vision syndrome, a type of eye strain. Here are a few ways that you can avoid developing eye strain and keep your eyes healthy while you work at home.
Adjust Your Lighting
The wrong lighting can cause headaches and eye strain. It may take some trial and error on your part to adjust the lighting in your room and your computer screen to an optimal level. Your screen needs to be bright enough so that you aren’t squinting, but not too bright. You also need to reduce any glare that may be reflecting from your screen.
Practice Good Posture
Maintaining a good, ergonomic posture while sitting at your computer can help reduce eye strain and improve blood flow to your eyes to keep them healthy. Instead of looking straight across or upwards, you should try to position yourself so that you can have a more downward gaze. This can help protect your eyes from becoming excessively dry.
Blink Your Eyes Often
Blinking is essential to keeping your eyes moisturized and comfortable. However, we tend to blink almost 50% less when we are sitting in front of a computer screen. Remember to blink your eyes often to prevent eye strain associated with dryness.
Increase Font Size
When you work on a laptop, the font size you use is likely to be small. Increasing the font size of your text can help prevent eye strain. If your budget allows, upgrading to a bigger monitor can make a big difference in reducing strain.
Use Blue Light Filters
With all the digital devices your eyes are exposed to daily, they are constantly bombarded with blue light. Most computers, tablets, and smartphones now come with built-in blue light filters, but you need to remember to turn them on.
Take Frequent Eye Breaks
When you work at home, it is easy to forget how much time you spend looking at a computer screen. Unlike an office, where you might stop for a conversation or meeting, you may not give yourself frequent breaks. Take breaks when you can from your computer screen and while working, adopt the 20-20-20 rule by diverting your focus to something 20 feet away, every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds to prevent digital eye strain.
Speak to Your Eye Doctor
If you have frequent symptoms of eye strain like headaches, blurred vision, or dry eyes, it is time to speak to your eye doctor. You may need an adjustment to your eyeglass prescription or glasses to reduce your blue light exposure. Contact Valley Eyecare Center at (602) 955-2700 to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors.
