Working from home is fast becoming a popular choice with employers and employees alike. With our increased reliance on computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones it’s important to understand how these devices are effecting our eyes and what we can do to avoid digital eye strain.
When working from home, we don’t tend to take as many breaks as we normally would whilst in the office like team meetings, tea breaks and walks at lunchtime. Therefore we spend more time looking at our screens. Unfortunately this can have an impact on eye health as we’re being exposed for longer periods to screens that emit blue light, have a bright glare and are highly reflective.
The symptoms of eye strain include dry eyes, redness, blurred vision, eye discomfort and eye twitching, which over time can have an effect on your overall eye health. Fortunately there are measures you can take to avoid eye strain from screens which includes:
- Make sure your lighting is soft and natural. Bright florescent lights can make eye strain worse.
- Most screens now give you the option to adjust the screen brightness and glare so that you can see the contents on the screen without squinting or straining your eyes.
- Regular breaks are very important. It is advised that you follow the 20:20:20 rule which involves looking away from your screen every 20 minutes and focusing on an object approximately 20 metres away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a rest.
- You can get ‘blue light’ glasses, which are designed to block harmful blue light rays and you don’t need a prescription to wear them.
- Get an eye test and check that your eyes are in good health and that you don’t require a prescription. If you already wear glasses, your prescription may have changed so it’s worth checking this if you are displaying the symptoms of eye strain.
If you have any concerns about your eyes or are experiencing eye strain symptoms, book an appointment with one of our opticians today.
