COMPUTERS, TABLETS, AND PHONES... OH MY!
Electronics are everywhere these days that it can oftentimes be hard to keep up with the newest technology. At work, we all need our computers and phones as our lifelines to get things done. Even kids in school are using computers and tablets in the classroom more now than ever. When we go home and need to relax, what do we do? Get on those same phones and home computers to play games, scroll instagram and facebook, or do even more work from home! All this technology can really put strain on our eyes. We’re not allowing our eyes the rest that they need and are actually making them work overtime and feel even worse! Electronic screens can cause us to feel headaches, tired eyes, droopy eyes at the end of the day, dry eyes, neck and shoulder aches, and blurry vision. It’s actually a condition called Computer Eye Syndrome. We’ve compiled some easy tips to help you put those eyes at ease throughout the day so they’ll be ready to go to work for you each and every day. and stay as healthy as can be.
Get an Eye Exam! It may seem like an obvious thing to do, but if you haven’t had your eyes checked in over a year, you should definitely come in for a comprehensive eye exam. The wrong prescription could cause those headaches to be even worse. Our doctors are able to help you with your exact needs when you measure how far your devices are from your eyes, whether at work or at home. We can also add an anti-reflective coating and blue blocker coating to your lenses to increase your comfort while sitting in front of screens and displays.
Blink! You may be thinking that of course you blink throughout the day. However, when we are on electronics we blink about two-thirds less often than we typically do! Also, studies have found that blinks in front of a computer screen are often only partial blinks not full and complete blinks, which may not be fully coating your eyes with tears or drying them out. Most offices are heavily air conditioned spaces which can dry your eyes out even more! Use lubricating artificial tears if you need more moisture on those eyes throughout the work day. Our favorite is called Blink.
Take A Break! Just like the rest of our bodies, our eyes need a break every so often. Try to keep the 20-20-20 Rule in mind… every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away, and take 20 slow complete blinks. It may be hard to remember throughout our workdays, but really any break away from screen time will be helpful for those eyes to recuperate, whether it is a break for 20 mins or just 20 seconds. To reduce neck and shoulder tension and fatigue, some studies show that a 10 minute break every hour to stretch, get up, and move around can be extremely beneficial.
Have Proper Lighting! Lighting is so important in preventing those eyes from working double time. If you’re on the computer, lighting in your office or room do not need to be as bright. Avoid direct sunlight on to the screen. We find it works best when the windows are off to the side of your screen, rather than in front or behind. Keep in mind that sunlight or natural light will always be preferred by your eyes in comparison to overhead fluorescent lighting as well.
Adjust Your Computer Settings! Our computers are not usually set to the best settings for our eyes, so you may need to adjust a few things. Screen brightness should match the brightness of your surrounding. It should never seem like it is illuminated (too bright) or too dark gray in color (too dim). In order to reduce the amount of blue light emitted from all electronic screens that cause damage, we recommend keeping the brightness at half or less. Reducing the color temperature will also reduce the amount of blue light emitted from your screen. Be sure to also adjust the text size as you wish for comfort and clarity.
Because technology isn’t going anywhere, we need to know the best ways to prevent any further damage to our eyes. Keep these tips handy as you are focusing on those screens, and be sure to stop in to Spectacle or make an appointment online so we can get that eye exam in to make sure your eyes are computer-ready!
