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We don’t think about our eyes much when spending long hours on our digital screens. But once the symptoms of digital eye strain sneak up on you, it’s hard not to notice them.
Protecting our eyes from digital devices has become more important than ever. But tackling the harmful effects of screen time on your vision is more about prevention than cure.
Doing simple things like exercise and taking a healthy diet will protect your eyes in the long run which we will talk about in this article.
Does screen time make your vision worse?
We all use a screen in our daily life. Where we are exposed to smartphones and TVs at our home, most of us use a computer or laptop for almost 8 hours a day at work.
What happens is that the high-energy blue light coming from these devices has a negative impact on your cornea and is sometimes damaging. This is why blue light glasses in the UK are so popular among working professionals and gamers.
If you consume more than 6 hours of screen time on a daily basis, you might know what digital eye strain is. The good news? The symptoms of digital eye strain or Computer Vision Syndrome are only temporary and disappear after you take a short break from your digital screen.
However, these symptoms such as headache, blurry vision and dry eyes are discomforting enough to make your work day difficult.
How to Shield your eyes from digital screens?
If you wear prescription glasses, your vision is already worse. Wearing your eyes out from the continuous use of digital media will only make your eyesight worse.
Whether you wear glasses or not, protecting your eyes from blue light is important. Here are some simple ways that you can incorporate into your daily life without abandoning your digital devices.
Use the 20/20/20 rule
Your eyes need break from that never ending screen time and the 20/20/20 rule will help you out. If you have been looking at your screen for 20 minutes, take a break and look at an object located 20 feet away for 20 seconds. During the break, try blinking your eyes more often so they get re-lubricated.
Make sure that your room is well lit
No matter how weird it may sound – less light is actually good for your eyes when you are using your computer or smartphone. Reduce the exposure to fluorescent lighting and close the curtains. Make sure that your office is not brightly lit.
Reduce glare
One more contributing factor to eye strain is the glare that forms when the light reflects from your digital screen. Glare can make it hard for your eyes to adjust focus when you are trying to look at the text on your computer screen. You can use an anti-glare screen to avoid this problem. If you wear glasses, make sure it has an anti-reflective coating on its lenses.
See an eye specialist
Although your eyes don’t have a refractive error, it is still good to see an eye doctor for your digital screen usage. They might recommend glasses that will reduce glare and eye strain. If you use reading glasses, just know that they don’t protect you from digital eye strain.
Using blue light blocking glasses is ideal as they don’t need a prescription and are completely safe for your eyes. You can purchase cheap glasses online with blue light blocking technology or get a blue light coating on your existing prescription frame if you don’t want to buy a new frame.
Adjust your screen lighting
Adjust your screen lighting so that the screen light is neither too bright nor too dim for your eyes. Adjust it as per the lighting of the room you are working in. If you are working in a brightly lit room, increase your screen brightness. However, if the room has dim lights, keep the lights low.
Place your screen at the right distance
If you have a tendency to look at your screen up close, stop this habit. Rather, make sure that your screen is placed almost at an arm’s length from you. It will bring down the possibility of digital eye strain and your eyes will find it easier to focus on the screen.
The final word
It is always ideal to wear protective eyewear when you are using your computer or smartphone. You can buy glasses frames online with blue light lenses to filter out blue light and give the maximum level of protection to your eyes.
Removing digital screens from our lives is next to impossible. However, if we use them carelessly, they will trigger eye problems and discomforts that will get in the way of your efficiency. By following the tips mentioned above, you will guard your eyes against the harmful effects of digital screens.
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