Technology has become integral to society — and the workplace. The symptoms of too much screen time on eyes can start to disrupt both. Taking care of your body is essential to a healthy work-life balance, so implement these methods into your nightly routine for maximized eye strength to take on the next day.
1. Warm and Cold Compress
After a long day, warm and cool compresses can soothe your eyes and calm your mind. Cold compresses can reduce pain and swelling, and warm compresses target muscle relaxation.
An eye mask is inexpensive and both freezable and microwaveable, allowing you to alternate methods. Looking for a DIY method? Grab that old bag of peas from your freezer — they can work just as well.
2. Eye Exercises
Studies show regular eye exercise can reduce fatigue, potentially improving your ability to work digitally. Yoga ocular exercises — the fancy term — include blinking, sideways viewing, rotational viewing, nose gazing and more. All exercises can be done without tools, from wherever you prefer.
3. Blue Light Glasses
After a long day of work, many people enjoy watching their favorite mindless show before bed. If more screen time is your key to relaxation, watch your next episode with a pair of blue light glasses.
They can block 100% of ultraviolet light up to 400 nanometers, allowing you to enjoy your show and relax your mind — and your eyes. They come in all shapes and styles, so choose a pair that matches you and your price range.
4. Eye Drops
If your job requires multiple hours of screen time, you will most likely benefit from some eye lubricant. Screen time can decrease your blink rate, drying out your eyes and causing irritation. To combat these symptoms, apply eye drops or artificial tears daily, or however often the directions specify.
5. Hydrate
Drinking water is good advice for many circumstances, including eye fatigue prevention. Get in the habit of drinking a few cups of water between the time you get home from work and bedtime. Your body needs it throughout the day to function, too, so try to drink some throughout your workday, as well.
Not a water fan? That’s OK — tea works too. Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins that may help reduce the oxidative stress that causes age-related eye degeneration. A nice warm cup is the perfect way to calm your nerves and help your vision.
6. A Good Night’s Rest
Sleep is essential to all aspects of human health, including eyesight and strength. Your eyes need at least five hours of sleep to replenish and function properly. If you can manage closer to eight hours a night, even better!
How Much Screen Time Can Damage Your Eyes?
To use screens safely, optometrists recommend keeping work-related screen time to around eight hours and recreational use two to four hours daily. These ranges aren’t guaranteed to protect your eyes from blue light, but they can be helpful with strategic practices.
Symptoms of Too Much Screen Time On Eyes
Excessive screen usage can lead to various symptoms, which over 59% of people experience after more than two hours of screen time daily. Some symptoms include:
- Headaches: Many people experience headaches after working in blue light for extended periods. Head pain caused by eye strain usually occurs behind the eyes.
- Blurred vision: Intense screen work can put you in deep focus, causing your brain to forget to blink as often. When your eyes go without blinking, your vision can blur.
- Burning and irritation: Inadequate blinking can also cause a burning sensation and irritation in your eyes. Without screen breaks, uncomfortability can increase.
- Redness: Staring at your screen for too long can decrease the natural lubricant in your eyes, making them dry, which can cause them to get red and bloodshot.
- Difficulty concentrating: When your eyes get sore, irritation can distract you from your work.
- Double vision: Prolonged digital eye strain can cause double vision, also known as diplopia. Double vision produces two images instead of one, making focusing difficult.
Eye Tips for Your Next Workday
If you struggle to work through eye fatigue, try the following methods throughout your day to ensure eye comfort and safety.
Try the 20-20-20 Rule
This rule is easy to apply, as it requires no tools or relocation. Every 20 minutes you spend on your screen, dedicate 20 seconds to staring at something roughly 20 feet away. Set timers for consistent reminders.
Adjust Your Work Setup
You can tweak things inside your office to help your eyes, like your screen brightness, monitor position and overhead lighting. Turn down the brightness for increased comfort. Your monitor should be directly in front of you, below eye level and at arm’s length.
If you don’t need overhead lights to be productive, consider turning them off. Fluorescent lighting can cause sensitivity, impacting how you react to your screen.
Move Around
Sitting in the same position all day is only suitable for some. If you’re a remote employee, try getting up and walking around a few times during the day. If you have longer breaks, consider taking a daily walk to get your body moving and your eyes refocused.
Give Your Eyes the Attention They Need
To keep your eyes healthy and reliable, integrate exercises and practices into your daily routine. Eye strain can make it difficult to do digital work or enjoy screen-related activities, so take action immediately if you notice fatigue. With easy-to-use strategies, you can tackle each day with fresh eyes.
