Most of us spend our days in front of the computer. Whether attending a Zoom meeting, watching your favorite series, or writing an assignment, there can be dangers to spending all that time staring at a screen. But did you know that there are computer health tips that you need to keep in mind?
Computers have become an essential tool for most businesses and individuals working from home. Although these machines make work easier and allow us to communicate and accomplish multiple tasks, they are not without problems.
Digital Eye Strain, also known as Computer Vision Syndrome, is caused by excess use of digital screens like computers and mobile phones. This frequent use of digital devices makes users more likely to suffer from vision-related problems.
As a writer, I spend most of my time staring at my computer screen, and it can be exhausting to my mind and body. Even with a good-quality office chair, you can still get neck & shoulder pain and eye strain when working from your computer. The last thing anyone wants is more computer-related health problems like headaches, strained eyesight, or joint problems.
Because you can’t stop completely using your computer, here are some health tips to make using it less stressful for you:
1. Protect Your Eyes
Protecting your eyes doesn’t necessarily mean getting glasses. You can reduce brightness on your screen or get an anti-glare screen protector for your tablet.
If you wear glasses because of an eye condition like short-sightedness or astigmatism, you might need to get them adjusted for working on a computer screen.
You can request new lenses that include a blue-light blocking coating during your next eye exam. Blue-light blocking lenses have filtering materials that block a portion of the blue light that enters your eyes. This will help protect your eyes from the blue light from monitors, smartphones, and tablets.
High-quality Blue-Light Blocking spectacle lenses significantly improve visual performance, sleep quality, and help reduce eye fatigue which most computer users suffer from.
2. Take a Break from Your Computer
For your mental health and well-being, you shouldn’t sit at your desk 24/7. Taking alternative breaks throughout your working day can give your eyes time to rest. Do an activity that doesn’t need your eyes to focus on the screen for long periods.
Taking breaks is also a great tip to improve your productivity when working remotely. You can take a walk, listen to music, or have lunch at a nearby restaurant to give your eyes some time to rest before going back to your screen.
Today it’s much harder to get people to look up from their phones, so this might be easier said than done.
3. Ensure Your Room is Well-lit
Fluorescent light can also affect your eyesight when working from your computer. The most obvious sign that your vision is affected by light is when you feel eye pain when looking at light.
Having less light in your room can be better for your working environment in the long term too. Whether working from home or in the office, make sure the room isn’t too bright.
You can do this using blinds and curtains. Avoid fluorescent light and use bulbs with lower voltage for your workspaces.
What’s the brightness level on your computer? The default brightness level might be too high for you, and you can easily change it in the settings of your computer.
4. Ensure Your Work Area & Computer is Clean
Dust in your eyes can leave behind a burning sensation and a need to itch. Aside from the redness and headaches, this can also lead to bacterial infections.
Cleaning your work area and computer helps prevent dust from getting in your eyes. Eye pain, extreme tearing, discomfort, or pain are common symptoms when you have dust in your eyes. The feeling is unbearable.
If you have a touch screen computer or use an iPad, it likely has a couple of fingerprints. These fingerprints can easily cause glare because your eyes can’t easily adjust to what you’re trying to focus on.
Getting rid of these fingerprints on your screen helps reduce glare and improve the clarity of your vision. You can also use an anti-glare matte screen to reduce glare on your computer or tablet.
You can get your lenses fitted with an anti-reflective coating that suits your eye condition to reduce glare for spectacle users.
5. Get Regular Eye Checks
Do you go for regular eye checkups? Frequent eye tests can help identify any eye problems before they worsen. You don’t have to go for your first test only when you’re in pain.
If you’re experiencing symptoms like blurred vision, dry eyes, and eye strain when working on your computer or entering a bright room and feeling a pull in your eyes, you should take an eye exam.
If you find yourself squinting when looking at any screen, it’s probably time to consider getting an eye test.
Your eye health is essential and getting a professional opinion about it is the best decision in the long run.
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Thank you for sharing! Also, don’t forget to exercise regularly! You can do anything about this: jogging, walking, swimming – whatever you like.
Swimming is a good option for people who spend long days in front of computer screens and lead a sedentary lifestyle. A few minutes of swimming every day are very beneficial for your body and mind. While you swim, all your muscles are working, but at the same time, it doesn’t stress your body the way jogging or strength workouts do. I’ve tried it out, and I really feel better!