#HealthBytes: Tips to get relief from computer eye strain
What's the story
If by the end of the day, you experience blurry vision, eye redness, tired and dry eyes, accompanied by headache, pain in shoulders and neck, chances are you've spent a considerable amount of time on your computer. But you're not alone, digital eye strain is a common problem these days. So, here are some tips to help you get relief from computer eye strain.
Breaks, Blinking
Give your eyes regular breaks; Blink more often
Breaks: Give your eyes regular breaks from work. One way is to follow the 20-20-20 rule, wherein after every 20 minutes of screen-time, you take a 20 second break, and look at something 20 feet away. Blinking: Staring at screens for long hours reduces your number of blinks per minute. This can cause eye redness, irritation, and dryness. So, blink more often while working.
Lighting, Glare
Use proper surrounding lights; minimize screen glare
Proper Lighting: Make sure that the lights in your work room are bright enough, but not too bright as to cause eye strain. Find the right balance for yourself. Also, reduce outer light sources such as from windows etc. Reduce glare: Minimize your computer's glare by using a screen filter. Also, make sure to keep your computer screen clear, and free of dust.
Massage, Vitamins
Try massaging and eye-cupping; take your Vitamins
Massaging: Try massaging the area around your eyes to ease the muscles, and get relief. You can also try rubbing your hands to create warmth, then cup them over your closed eyes to manage eye strain. Vitamins: Your diet is crucial to your visual health. Make sure you take all the necessary Vitamins and minerals- including Vitamins A, C, E, B Complex, and Zinc.
Other tips
A few more handy tips to cure eye strain
Ensure that your computer screen is at least an arm's length away from your face. Also, the screen should be about 10-15 degrees below the level of your eyes. Take long breaks of 10-15 minutes, after every 2 hours you spend working on a computer screen. Try using artificial tears to get relief from eye dryness. In addition, go for regular eye check-ups.