More and more people in a variety of professions find
themselves looking at a computer screen all day, where the light generated from
behind the screen is very different from how we see things in the rest of the
world through light reflected off of objects.
Often headaches, dry eyes, blurry vision and even long-term loss of visual acuity can result. To reduce computer related eye strain, try these top 10 tops:
- Use dark text on a light background-ideally black text on a white background.
- Make sure your monitor is in focus and that the brightness of its screen matches the brightness of the surrounding room.
- Cut down on distracting reflections and glare on your monitor with an anti-reflective screen.
- Avoid bright overhead lighting shining directly on your monitor screen. Ideal office lighting is indirect and of a lower wattage.
- the straight-ahead eye position many computer users use is unnatural. Instead, adjust your monitor so that the center of your screen is 7 to 10 inches below horizontal of sight.
- "Flickering" of the screen also can cause eye strain. Work with a monitor with refresh rates of at least 60 hertz, preferably more.
- Computer use often entails intense concentration. Be sure to blink and breathe regularly to ensure that eyes remain moist and eye muscles relaxed.
- Every 10 to 20 minutes, give your eyes a brief (20-30 seconds) break during which you look away from your screen and focus instead on an object in the distance.
- Every hour or so, stand up and get away from your computer for 5 minutes or so.
- If you still are experiencing computer related vision problems, talk to your eye care professional about glasses or contacts tailored specifically for heavy computer users (often these are tinted light pink to compensate for the fluorescent office light), or a vision therapy program.
