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Is Your Computer Causing Eye Strain? |
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Written by Wordsmith
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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:43 |
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More and more we find ourselves in front of a computer monitor for long periods of time. Sometimes you may notice that your eyes hurt and/or your head aches. Eyestrain may be the cause. Although research has not found any serious long-term consequence so far, eyestrain can be uncomfortable and disruptive to our lives.
According to Mayo Clinic some of the common signs and symptoms of computer eyestrain include:
- Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
- Watery eyes
- Dry Eyes
- Blurred or double vision
- Difficulty shifting focus between monitor and paper documents
- Color fringes or afterimages when you look away from the monitor
- Increased sensitivity to light
To reduce eyestrain and give eyes a much-needed rest try some of the following tips.
Eye Break Exercise
It’s important to take a break and focus your eyes on something else for a while. Do this exercise three times in a row to help relieve eyestrain. Hold your finger a few inches in front of your face and focus on it. Slowly move your finger away while still focusing on it. Leave your finger at a distance and switch to focusing on something far away for a few seconds. Focus on your extended finger again and slowly move it toward your face. Next shift to focusing on something at least eight feet away. Do this exercise several times a day.
Blinking the Dry Away
As we focus on the monitor we tend to blink less than normal, thus drying out our eyes. Make an effort to blink, which will produce tears and lubricate the eyes.
Adjust Your Work Space
The monitor should be directly in front of you with your eyes level or slightly above the top of the screen. It should be 18 to 30 inches away from your eyes; some people find that arms length is a good distance. Carefully position the monitor because if it’s too high or too low it will cause neck strain and headaches.
If you wear bifocals or trifocals the tendency is to tilt your head back to see the monitor better. Instead of adjusting the position of your head, adjust the height your monitor.
Make sure that your keyboard is positioned directly in front of your screen and turn off offending lights. If you need to write or read use a desk lamp.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 01 June 2008 15:19 )
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