Avoid eye strain while on the computer
Being on the computer practically 24/7, getting eye strain
I used to moonlight as a writer for a friend’s website, and I maintain some websites of my own. Add watching videos, listening to music, IMing, reading people’s blogs and visiting several of my favorite online haunts, and it’s a safe guesstimate that I spend an average of 12 hours a day in front of a computer, practically seven days a week. My mom cautions me to spend less time on the computer, and now that eye strain (not to mention that I also have dry eye as I type) is becoming a more regular thing for me, I’ve begun to heed her advice.
Taking care of the eyes
I’ve come up with a few tricks to avoid eye strain, and though I still get eye strain from time to time, it’s mostly my own fault for not following the steps I actually provided for myself. Heh.
Here are some ways to avoid eye strain:
• Make sure that your computer monitor is at eye level. I found that having an uneven eye-to-screen level cause my eyes to get tired much quickly because of having to adjust so much. Also, make sure that your monitor is clean and properly calibrated so you won’t have to squint so much as you read or watch.
• Rest your eyes every half hour or so for 15-20 seconds. Stare at a distance, preferably at a blank wall or something, and avoid looking at the screen.
• Close your eyes at regular periods, allowing them to relax for a bit. This works better for me when I put a handkerchief or a cloth over my eyes. The added darkness makes my eyes feel much better.
I’m sure that there are even more ways to take care of the eyes and avoid eye strain, but the most important thing is that the eyes get enough rest.