Eye strain is an extremely common problem for many people in Oshkosh today. The symptoms of eye strain can include everything from headaches to blurry vision, irritated or red and dry eyes, and can even include pain in the neck, shoulders and back. If you’ve ever experienced it, you will certainly be interested in how to prevent eye strain. Eye strain most often occurs when you’re focusing on one particular task for an extended period of time. Here are some of the things you can do to prevent eye strain from happening.
Limit (or at least break up) your screen time
Most people in the United States spend way too much time in front of digital screens. One of the biggest causes of eye strain is the use of a digital screen for several hours or more at a time. While the best thing would be to significantly reduce screen time in your day, for most people who work at a computer, that lifestyle change is too much to ask.
However, even if you have to keep using screens all day for work, there are some things you can do to reduce eye strain. Try to shift your focus to something other than your screen every 20 minutes. What you focus on should be 20 feet away, and you should look at it for at least 20 seconds. This is known as the 20-20-20 rule. It can be a life saver for those who suffer from eye strain.
Take breaks
Even if you’re not on a computer all day, you can still suffer from eye strain if you focus on one task for an extended period of time, like reading or driving. You should make sure to balance times of intense concentration on a screen or while driving with activities that make you use your eyes differently, like taking a walk outside. The natural light and focusing on objects at distances much more varied than the space from your chair to your computer screen can help a lot. Breaks will also help you reduce stress and give you energy if you’re feeling worn out and tired. Stress and exhaustion cause eye strain as well.
Think about your lighting
Being in an environment that is either too dim or too bright can cause eye strain. If light is coming from the wrong direction, even that can cause eye strain. If you’re focused on something like reading, make sure light comes from behind you to illuminate your page and try to eliminate glare. Dim the lights when you watch TV, and also make sure that the screens you’re viewing are adjusted to the proper brightness level.
Think about your screen
Any time you’re using a computer, you should make sure your screen is a few feet from your eyes, around an arm’s length from where you’re sitting. You should be viewing a computer screen at about the same level of your eyes, or slightly lower. If you’re worried about how to prevent eye strain in Oshkosh, this can help with that and with relieving back pain as well. Another screen tip on how to reduce eye strain is to enlarge the text on your screen to a comfortable level.
Get your eyes checked
If you’re worried about eye strain or have questions about how to prevent eye strain in your daily life, contact Dr. Jill’s Optical Shoppe today. We’d be glad to provide more tips and ensure you’re receiving any vision correction you need. We look forward to seeing you soon!