Healthy Eyes at the Office: Simple Fixes for Digital Eyestrain
When you think of workplace injuries, what comes to mind? Probably not digital eyestrain, right? But with screen time on the rise in both home offices and traditional workplaces, eye health is more important than ever. Whether you’re looking for better habits or soothing eye drops, understanding and preventing strain from screen exposure is key to keeping your eyes comfortable and focused.
What is Digital Eyestrain?
Do you ever experience headaches, dry eyes, muscle twitches, or eye pain after prolonged computer use? These are likely symptoms of digital eye strain, which occurs with extended engagement with electronics.2 One key reason for this is that we tend to blink less when focused on screens.
It’s vital to be diligent about preventing digital eye strain because the more you interact with digital screens, the greater the risk of damaging your retinas and experiencing uncomfortable side effects.
How Can You Avoid Symptoms?3
Here are some practical tips to help protect your eyes in the digital age:
- Maintain Consistent Lighting: Keep lighting levels consistent. Avoid using your devices in dimly lit rooms or staring at bright screens in dark rooms, and vice versa. Be sure to use light switches and adjust screen brightness to reduce strain on your eyes.
- Blink Often or Use Eye Drops: Remembering to blink regularly or using eye drops will help keep your eyes hydrated, especially when you spend long hours focused on a screen. Supplementing your natural tear production can help avoid dry, itchy eyes and blurred vision.
- Adjust Your Screen Position: Proper screen positioning can help you avoid muscle strain in your eyes, neck, and back. Your screen should be about an arm’s length away, with its top third at eye level.
- Take Regular Breaks: Taking regular breaks from your screens will help your eyes remember to blink and change focus. The 20-20-20 rule is a fantastic guideline: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something at least 20 feet away. Try it out!
Did You Know?
Australians spend an average of over 6 hours a day on digital devices! That’s an entire school day! 4
Visit your pharmacies to explore a variety of products designed to alleviate digital eye strain, including a wide selection of eye drops. Prioritising your eye health is essential in our increasingly digital world. By incorporating these simple habits into your daily routine, you can significantly reduce the risk of digital eye strain and keep your eyes healthy and comfortable.
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