We live in a digital world. Between office computers, smart phones and televisions, many of us are spending 8-12 hours in front of a screen each day. The increased time in front of screens can have a negative impact on your vision. Minimizing screen time is not always an option, which is why we have a few tip for you to keep your eyes healthy and prevent screen-time related issues.

1. Adjust computer position

There are two screen positions that put users at a high risk for eyestrain: too close to the eyes and above the eyes. When monitors are placed above eye level, a muscle outside of the eye is used to facilitate reading. This unnatural activity causes strain in and around the eye. Placing the screen too close to the eye also causes strain. Eyes naturally need to come down and in versus around and up, so position your screens accordingly.

2. Adjust computer and workplace lighting

First, ensure your screen’s brightness and sharpness is maximized to best match your surroundings. Ideally, your screen will not look too different from the environment around you. When lighting your workspace, natural light is the ideal option and traditional incandescent lightbulbs are kinder to eyes than fluorescent counterparts.

3. Look away from your screen   

Treat your eyes like any other muscle in your body. While a two-pound weight is easy to hold at first, eventually your arm will become strained from holding it. The same goes for eyes looking at a screen. To give your eyes relief, use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away or more for at least 20 seconds. This exercise forces muscles to relax and increases blinking.

4. Consider eyewear safety options

If you are a digital device power user, anti-reflective lenses help to minimize reflection, maximizing the amount of light that gets to your eyes and, ultimately, playing a role in preventing eyestrain.

The retina cannot focus on the blue light that all of our digital devices emit so you might also want to consider blue-blocker glasses that minimize eyestrain and sleep issues by blocking blue light.

5. Prevent dry eye

Between screen time, air-conditioning and artificial lighting, dry eye is a major issue that can lead to redness, discomfort, increased risk of infection and more. Blinking is our body’s natural way of preventing dry eye so try blinking at the end of each line you read. Artificial tears and eating plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids also help to reduce dry eye. For those suffering from particularly problematic dry eye, there are numerous treatment options available  that you should discuss with your optometrist.

As use of digital devices continues to increase among people of all ages, MyEyeDr. is continually committed to doing everything possible to protect the eyes of our valuable patients. Book your appointment at http://www.myeyedr.com.