▷ Protect your eyes from the harmful effects of screens

Major in Nutrition with specialization in Health and Disease.

Published: 09/11/2014 - Updated: 05/18/2018

Today, a large portion of the day is spent in front of the computer, doing tasks, working, listening to music, playing, researching ,etc. This has caused, in today’s world, a condition known as Computer Vision syndrome, which is a weakening of sight that gives us a sad look, and causes eye conditions, along with other symptoms. Every time you go to turn the computer on, take the following precautions, as your eyes could become extremely fatigued if you don’t help reduce the effects of magnetic radiation, light, and static electricity, produced by your computer’s monitor.

Contents

Symptoms of tired vision or Computer Vision Syndrome
How to prevent sight injury from screens

Symptoms of tired vision or Computer Vision Syndrome

Tired or fatigued eyes
Burning or irritation in the eyes
Dryness
Blurring vision
Confusion
Headaches
Red eyes
Puffy eyes, or bags under the eyes

There are a lot of solutions to always keep your eyes health and beautiful, even if you spend half the day or more, in front of a screen. So don’t let these important tips to indulge your eyes go unnoticed.

How to prevent sight injury from screens

Preventive remedies and precautions to prevent sight injury from screens:

Avoid keep the screen close. It should be at least 80 cm from your eyes.
Use a screen protector or special glasses, and do not allow outside or indoor light to reflect on the screen.
Place a cactus or sage plant close to the monitor. These plants absorb radiation that comes from the screen. If you can’t find a cactus, you can use any other plant.
To prevent excessive eyeball tension, you should rest for 5 minutes every 20 to 30 minutes that you are in front of the screen. Do this whenever you can, and in those 5 minutes, close your eyes, or look at a far-away object through the window (try to keep it closed so as to prevent the cold air from aggressively unbalancing the temperature of your eyes). Look far away and relax your eyes.
If you are listening to music, try not to look at the screen.
While you are in front of the screen, keep your back straight, and avoid slouching. This will prevent tension in your dorsal spine and throughout your body. If not, you could later suffer from back or neck pain.
Clean any impurities or finger prints from your screen.
If you have been in front of the screen for a long time, avoid going out into cool or windy areas. Your eyes should rest for at least 10 minutes before experiencing any change in temperature.
If you feel your eyes are tired, take a break from a while from working at in front of the screen. Bathe your eyes in chamomile water before getting back to work.
Whenever you can (while uploading programs, or if you’re thinking for writing, etc.) look at something elsewhere, or close your eyes.
Avoid very contrasted areas in your work environment.
Avoid working in complete darkness with just the screen turned on.
Adjust the brightness of the screen to something less bright.
Buy a good monitor. The refresh rate should be high, and it should be an LCD monitor.
Try not to use a portable screen a lot, because these lack good screens.
Do not use very small fonts, as these strain your eyes. Use the biggest font possible, and avoid reading white letters on a black background.
Avoid continually focusing and un-focusing on the screen.
Use a vaporizer (or diffuser) with a few drops of essential oil, either chamomile, or something citrus, in your office or house. This will help keep your eyes moist.
Try not to read too quickly. Read slowly.
Whenever you can, focus your attention on your eyes and relax them. Avoid scrunching your brow or squeezing your eyelids.
Avoid smoking in front of the screen. This dries your eyes out.
Avoid using heat or air conditioning, as these dry out the environment and your eyes.
Avoid spending more than 4 hours a day in front of the screen. If you spend more than this in front of the screen, you could severely affect your eyes.
Drink carrot juice with alfalfa, at least one glass a day. Make it fresh, to preserve the vitamin A, which is perfect for strengthening sight, and will prevent eyeball injuries.