How to Protect Your Eyes at a Computer

Though the official start of summer was less than a week ago, many of us still have to spend a lot of our time in front of a computer screen. Prolonged exposure to the light of a computer screen can lead to eyestrain, which has a multitude of effects on the human body. But, here is some advice from the eye care experts here at Seen Vision in Dearborn, MI to help you combat computer-related eyestrain.

First, it’s important to know exactly what eyestrain is and what its symptoms are. Eyestrain can happen when your eyes are over-exerted over an extended period of time. Some of the most common symptoms are as follows:

• Eye pain or tension (can also manifest in the temples and lead to your head or neck)
• Dryness or redness of the eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Double vision

And while some of those may seem serious, by making a few changes to how you work at a computer, you can dramatically decrease eyestrain. One of the easiest things you can do to make working at a computer easier on your eyes is to increase the size of the text you’re reading. When we are forced to read smaller-sized texts, our eyes have to work harder to see the words. Zooming-in can work wonders.

Another way to give your eyes a little help is to reposition how you sit at your desk. The best way to sit is straight in your chair while your monitor is slightly below eye level. Not only will sitting this way decrease eyestrain, it will also improve your posture.

Reading offline is also a great way to give your eyes a break from the glare of a computer screen. If you have a long article or report to read, it might be a good idea to print it out and read it that way. It will give you a chance to turn off your monitor and relax a bit.

And finally, we suggest getting your eyes checked. If you’re already wearing glasses, you might need a new prescription and if you don’t wear them at all, you might need to start. If you have any questions about how to reduce eyestrain or if you want to set up an appointment with us, don’t hesitate to give me a call at (313)278-SEEN or contact me today.