Do you ever wonder if you are hurting your eyes by looking at all of the digital devices we use today? With the use of IPADS and smart phones and the hours a day of computer use, it would not be unusual to experience headaches, eye strain and fatigue. We are so dependent on our electronic devices. I looked into what is called “computer vision syndrome” some time back on a blog and thought what can we do to protect our eyes since we are constantly looking at our smart phone screens. This article from allaboutvision.com gives some basics for how to protect your eyes while using your portable devices.
“Your Devices and How You Interact With Them”
“The easiest way to help yourself reduce risk of digital eye strain when working at a computer or using a portable electronic device is to follow what many eye care providers call the “20-20-20” rule:
Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and view an object that’s at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
This simple technique has two important stress-busting effects:
- It relaxes eye muscles that keep your eyes focused and aligned when viewing close objects, which reduces eye fatigue.
- It stimulates you to blink your eyes, which reduces dry eye symptoms.
Other things you can do to reduce your risk of eye discomfort include:
- Blink your eyes fully after each page view.
- Get up from your desk at least every 20 minutes to stretch your body and relax your eyes.
- Increase the size of the font on your screen.
- Adjust your device’s brightness and/or contrast settings.
- Purchase a device with a higher resolution screen.
- Make sure you are holding your device at least 10 to 12 inches from your eyes.”
Source: allaboutvision.com
