Technology has become a standard part of the lives of millions of people around the world. Whether it's using a smartphone, laptop, tablet, video games, or television, looking at a screen in some form is a daily occurrence. In addition, more people are working from home. As a result, you may be experiencing computer fatigue and need eye strain relief.
Protecting your eyesight is essential. It's important to fully understand vision issues related to computers since your eyes do so much work. Once you know what your eyes may be dealing with, you can focus on solutions.
When on a computer, or any screen, you take in a lot of information. Your eyes are always focused on something, whether you're watching a video or typing. In fact, U.S. adults spend nearly four hours on computers every day.
With prolonged exposure, issues start to arise. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is an overarching term that encompasses all screen fatigue and eye strain-related problems. It affects people of all ages, too. Therefore, adults and children alike need to understand what their eyes are enduring.
Examples of CVS include repetitive stress injuries, digital eye strain, and computer fatigue. Your eyes may hurt from moving them too much, you could be having trouble seeing or concentrating, or you might find yourself struggling to look at the screen. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should try to identify contributing factors. They include having poor posture, ocular diseases, lighting, resolution, contrast, viewing distance, and ergonomics.
These issues can be subtle — you may not even notice them. Other times, they start small but become a major hindrance when you're trying to work or enjoy some downtime. It can get to the point where you need a prescription for contact lenses or glasses.
Since CVS is a broad category, the eye strain and computer fatigue issues that it brings will present various symptoms. They often overlap but are sometimes clear indicators of what eye impediment you're dealing with.
For instance, if you find yourself needing eye strain relief, you may be looking at the computer for too long. It's vital to have the right comfort, setup, and ergonomics. Further, you might not have the right glasses prescription. Minor adjustments can go a long way — and you may need your first prescription ever if the strain is significant enough.
Keep in mind blue light can be a common cause of irritation for many people. The harsh light from screens can negatively affect your sleep schedule. This situation can then result in similar symptoms — with fatigue, eye irritation, and headaches leading the list.
Some overall symptoms of CVS-related fatigue or strain include neck stiffness, backaches, tearing, dryness, redness, grittiness, burning, double vision, myopia, and slowness of changing your focus.
Luckily, there are solutions that can bring you comfort for your CVS impediments. The first step is to see if blue-light-blocking glasses are right for you. Often, blue light from your screens causes irritation, worsening headaches, and eye strain.
- You can purchase glasses with blue-light blocking abilities. You can get daytime glasses that are perfect for protecting your eyes when spending prolonged periods in front of a screen. Nighttime glasses provide high protection rates, helping your eyes adjust to the dark. Add your current or new prescription for extra strength.
- You should then follow the 20-20-20 rule with your new glasses. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away, and do this for 20 seconds. Don't forget to blink a lot, too.
- Rearrange your setup so you're more comfortable when you type, and the words and images on your screen are clear. Be sure to take breaks when possible so you give your eyes a rest from the screen.
Computer fatigue and all CVS-related eye strain issues can be an obstacle when working or when you're trying to enjoy some screen time. Understanding how they occur and what their symptoms are will help you avoid the pain. That way, you can work or enjoy a video without interruption and create a better computer-vision dynamic.
This is an edited version of an article by Shannon Flynn, taken from the Swanwick website. You can find Blue Light blocking glasses from Swanwick here.
