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The screens are now an integral part of our daily life. According to Shahina Pardhan, an optometrist based in the United Kingdom, the big problem is the tension that we exercise on our eye muscles.
“When you look closely, like a smartphone, your eyes must focus at this short distance. To do this, they use muscle strength, especially ciliary muscle inside the eye”, Explain to Euronews Health the one who directs the Director of Vision and Eye Research Institute at Anglia Ruskin University.
“In the event of prolonged use, especially when we age and these muscles no longer work as well as before, the muscle becomes really tired”she adds.
This pressure can have a serious impact on our well-being. Although estimates vary, many people suffer from computer vision syndrome, also known as digital eye fatigue, with symptoms such as drought and eye irritation, headaches, blurred vision and fatigue.
But these symptoms are not inevitable. Here are five tips for giving respite to your eyes and protecting your long -term vision.
1. The 20-20-20 rule
One of the most widely recommended techniques to reduce eye fatigue due to digital is the rule of 20-20-20, proposed by the American Optometric Association (AOA).
According to this rule, every 20 minutes, you must look at an object located at a 20 feet (6 meters) distance for at least 20 seconds.
Studies have shown that this contributed to alleviate the symptoms of dryness.
“When you look at something at a distance of 6 meters, you relax the eye muscles”Explique Shahina Pardhan.
However, the results are mixed with the effectiveness of this method on Stability of the tear filmwhich allows the eyes to remain lubricated and the vision of remaining clear.
2. Optimize your workstation and the position of the screen
The development of your workspace can make a huge difference for the health of your eyes. Bad lighting, bad screen angles and dazzling reflections are among the main responsible for digital eye fatigue.
“It is very important to maintain the screen up to the eyes”explains Shahina Pardhan, whether it is a smartphone or a computer.
“The tilt of the head downwards can exert high pressure on the neck, which increases stress on the spine and shoulders”.
Lights lively on the ceiling or sunlight crossing a window can also be reflected on your screen, forcing your eyes to work harder and causing discomfort. To reduce dazzling, try to use an anti -reflective screen filter or adjust your room lighting so that it is soft and indirect.
If you work near a window, avoid placing your screen directly in front or behind it.
3. Air eyes more often
Eye blinking lubricate the eyes by distributing tears over the cornea. But researchers say that When we are riveted on our screens, our blinking rate can fall by 66 %, which increases the risk of dry ocular.
Studies show that an average person blinks 15 to 20 times per minute. But this pace decreases considerably when working in front of a computer: it is only four to six times per minute.
To prevent your eyes from drying out, try sticking a little reminder on your screen or around your workplace.
Do not forget your environment either. If your space is dry, for example if you have central heating or air conditioning, it may be useful to maintain your well hydrated environment.
“The simple fact of having a humidifier or even a bowl of water or a vase of flowers with water moistened the air and dries it less”Explique Shahina Pardhan.
4. Use blue light filters
Blue light – high -energy visible light emitted by LED screens – is more than a simple sleep disturber. Studies show that an prolonged exposure to blue light, especially in the range of 400 to 470 nanometers, can contribute to the stress and retina lesions, thus increasing the risk of ocular discomfort.
Selon shahina pardhan, “Very bright screens – especially when used in a dark environment – can be aggressive for the eyes. They cause a contraction of pupils due to dazzling, which is the opposite of what eyes naturally need in low light conditions”.
Fortunately, most modern devices have a night mode or a blue light filter. The activation of these parameters reduces exposure to blue light, especially in unlit environments. Port of glasses blocking blue light, especially at night, can offer additional protection.
However, it should be kept in mind that blue light filters have only limited efficiency. Research indicates that they do not protect against serious eye diseases such as age -related macular degeneration.
5. Limited use of devices
Even outside working hours, many of us instinctively turn to screens to relax.
Reducing the time spent in front of a screen, especially outside working hours, can give your eyes the rest they desperately need. A good starting point is to use the tools integrated into your device that allow you to know how long you spend on the different applications and websites.
There are also smartphone applications designed to reduce the time spent in front of a screen. The Forest application, for example, allows you to “plant a tree” that grows as you move away from your phone. If you give in and start scrolling through the pages, your tree dies. Users claim that this application is strangely motivating and that it even allows you to plant real trees thanks to an initiative of partners.
Another option is ONESEC, which adds a second time before opening applications like Instagram or Tiktok. This tiny break can help disrupt your automatic piloting habit and give your brain just enough time to ask the following question: “Do I really want to open this right away? Do I really want to open this application now?”
