Digital age putting eyes under strain
Computer usage is the top cause of eye strain, resulting in headaches, blurred vision, and even the potentially blinding eye disease glaucoma.
Over a period of time, excessive computer use can have cumulative negative effects including the worsening of farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, eye-focusing disorders, dry eyes, and poor eye coordination. In addition, prolonged periods of sitting in the same position can cause neck and shoulder stiffness, as well as stress headaches, which can then cause jaw pain (referred to TMJ or temporomandibular joint).
Our vision developed primarily for seeing distance (98% of all humans are born farsighted). Our eye muscles are at their most relaxed state when we use our vision to look at distant objects and large spaces. In a similar fashion, our bodies were designed for movement. Maintaining a sitting posture for long periods of time is unnatural for us as is staring at one close-up object for extended periods.
Symptoms of eye strain include:
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness or nausea
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headaches
- Red, dry, or burning eyes
- Increase in nearsightedness
- Change in color perception
- Slow refocusing
- Excessive fatigue
- Neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Eye-teaming problems and/or occasional double vision
What can be done about Computer Eye Strain?
The key to eye health is not just to think about taking care of the eyes themselves; it is essential that one looks to the health of the entire body and make choices that support overall health. Nutrition, exercises, lifestyle choices, and stress management are all key to maintaining healthy vision.
Behavior/ Work Habits:
- Take rest breaks at least every 20 minutes to allow eyes and muscles to recuperate. Short, frequent breaks are better than longer, less frequent breaks. Try 2-3 minutes every 15-20 minutes, 5 minutes every 30 minutes, or 10 minutes every hour.
- Frequently look at something more than 20 feet away.
- Blink regularly to keep your eyes moist.
- Don't use the computer for more than 2 hours in any sitting.
- Stretch frequently.
- Don't work in a dark room and be sure not to sit under one light in an otherwise dark room. At the same time, make sure overall illumination of the room is no more than three times brighter than the screen.
- Humidity helps - if your home office's air is dry, get a humidifier, especially in the winter.
- If you wear reading glasses when working on the computer, have your doctor test your vision at the distance of the length of your arm, rather than closer. This is the distance you want to be from the screen.
- Increase font size for comfortable viewing (browsing - use "View/text size/increase") - apparently, viewing small fonts can actually cause rises in blood pressure and stress levels.
- If you are working at a desk the very best thing to do is to connect your laptop to an external monitor, and even better, add an external keyboard and mouse. This'll create less shoulder & arm tension. This is especially true if you are working for more than two hours at one sitting.
Nutrition/ Lifestyle Habits:
- A diet rich in vegetables (especially leafy greens) as well as fruits and whole grains will help to support eye health and overall health.
- Limit the amount of sugar (particularly white or refined sugar), refined carbohydrates, alcohol, coffee, soft drinks, fast foods and fried foods.
- Avoid cigarettes, hydrogenated oils or transfatty acids like those found in margarine and many fast food products, artificial sweeteners, and colorings.
Product Recommendations:
For those who suffer from computer eyestrain, EyeAstin Eye Fatigue Formula (naturaleyecare.com) can help. It contains astaxanthin, lutein and flax seed oil that have all been shown to help reduce eye strain and improve visual acuity.
For instant relief, try Oasis Tears Plus Eyedrops (naturaleyecare.com). This preservative free formula is long-lasting and helps reconstitute the tear film with each blink of the eye.