How To Relieve Eye Strain From Excessive Computer Use
For people who spend a lot of time in front of a computer, eye strain can be a serious issue. There are some simple and easy steps to try and prevent this from happening.
Proper lighting is important. Ambient light in the room shouldn’t be too bright or too dark. Try to avoid strong point light sources, such as sun through a window. Also, changing lighting types can help. Sometimes fluorescent lighting can be a bit harder on the eye than an incandescent.
Another strategy is to limit the time spent staring at the screen. Take frequent breaks or periodically focus on something off in the distance.
A monitor can also be a source of trouble. Older ones and even some newer less-expensive models can have poor refresh rates and are harder on the eyes. Sometimes simple adjustments can help, such as changing the brightness/contrast settings, adding an anti-glare filter, or changing the viewing angle or distance.
Lastly, it is important to make sure your eyes and eyewear are in good shape. If eye strain is a problem it might be a good time to have an eye exam and mention to the optometrist that computer use is an issue.