7 Ways to Reduce Computer Eye Strain

By Nicholas Fraser

 

Computer eye strain was coined when it seemed the computer was omnipresent and would always be, I assume. It should really be called digital eye strain because the issue applies to our interaction with digital screens. The computer is now only one of these and a diminishing one.

Efforts to reduce computer eye strain are a bit of a misnomer as we are talking about strain from all digital devices. It will probably be updated when our ability to categorize catches up with our ability to innovate. We have an almost never-ending river of digital data flowing at us every day with new options coming along all the time. No wonder our eyes get tired!

Blurred vision, dry eyes, double vision, light sensitivity and headaches are all symptoms. The official name for computer eye strain is Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS is a repetitive visual stress disorder, as described by the American Optometric Association. According to the Vision Council of America, nearly 90 percent of those who use a computer, (and we can replace this with digital device), at least 3 hours a day suffer vision problems associated with computer related eye strain.

So this is not a small problem and, with the continuing growth in digital capabilities, it is likely to be with us for a while yet. The good news is that there are numbers of simple and effective actions we can take to reduce or dispose of the symptoms.
 
7 Ways to Reduce Computer Eye Strain

1. Keep your screen clean giving it a daily dusting and cleaning any smudges or finger marks. A dirty computer screen forces you to strain to see what you are trying to read.

2. Position your monitor correctly; don't keep the computer at an odd angle that makes it difficult to see the screen. Best position is directly in front of you, 20 to 24 inches away, with the center of the screen four to nine inches below your straight-ahead gaze.

3. Sit up straight. Slouching or leaning forwards or backwards while sitting at a computer puts your eyes at a disadvantage, forcing them to strain to see the screen. Your arms should be parallel to the floor when you type and your feet should be flat on the floor (or on a footstool).

4. Take frequent breaks to look away to the distance and blink frequently. The unblinking focus engendered by digital screens drys out the eyes. The 20/20/20 rule is the most popular rendition of this suggestion - every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and focus on something 20 feet away.

5. Use eye drops regularly to lubricate the eyes and to keep the eyes moist.

6. Adjust lighting in your environment to provide the optimal combination of brightness and contrast.

7. Get some reputable digital eyewear.
Digital eyewear will eliminate the constant refocusing effort that the eyes go through when viewing the screen and address all the symptoms of CVS. Computer eyeglasses increase comfort during computer use, and recent studies have shown that they can increase computer worker productivity, with cost savings to employers who provide the eyewear.

From computer screens to hand helds, workstations to digital entertainment devices, the flow of information is only growing. What are all those hours staring at a screen doing to your eyes? Click http://digitaleyewearinfo.blogspot.com/ to find out. To prevent or remedy computer eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck/back pain get eye equipment that can protect you AND help you to be more productive - http://digitaleyewearinfo.blogspot.com.

- Nicholas Fraser

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicholas_Fraser