What to do for Eyestrain

College of DuPage Nursing Student Candy Ryser shared with Healthy Lombard that lately she has been getting blurry vision and headaches while staring at the computer.  If she walks away from the computer, it goes away.  Problem is, she can’t walk away from the computer because she has work to do!  She heard about “blue” glasses that are supposed to help with eye strain caused by computer screens; but do they really work?

According to Kierstan Boyd of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (2020), the answer is no (Bummer). Luckily there are other things that can help, such as:

1. Just blink! Boyd points out that while working on the computer, blinking is about a third as much as normally. Blinking is necessary to keep the eyes moistened, which in turn reduces eye strain. Using artificial tears or eye drops may also help (Boyd, 2020).
2. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look about 20 feet away from the computer for 20 seconds. She also suggests sitting at least an arm’s length from the computer screen (Boyd, 2020).

3. Reduce the glare and adjust the brightness and contrast. The glare on a computer screen can be reduced by using a matte filter which is available online and at computer stores. Increasing a screen’s contrast and adjusting the brightness to match the brightness in the environment will help to decrease eye strain (Boyd, 2020).

If you still find yourself with headaches and blurry vision after trying these suggestions, see your eye doctor. Not only can they prescribe glasses that will work specifically for your eyes and the computer, but they can rule out any other eye problems you might have.

Reference

Boyd, Kierstan (2020, March 3). Computers, Digital Devices, and Eye Strain. American Academy of Ophthalmology.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/computer-usage