Is WFH stressing your eyes? Watching mobile phone hurting your eyes? Here are 8 tips to reduce the eye strain

The Covid 19, 2020 has seen a massive rise in the number of people working from their homes. It is safe, pleasant and not time-consuming, which otherwise would have been spent commuting. You don't have to dress up in formals, you don't have to sit at your desktop/laptop, and you don't work to limit yourself to a strict work duration.  However, many studies have shown that increased screen time results in the deterioration of the eye. Please take a look at our Top 8 tips to reduce eye strain while working from home.

Adjust Your Computer's Monitor
Ensure that your monitor is in front of you at about an arm's length away. Position the top of the screen in such a way that it is at or just below your eye level. This is to ensure that you are not gazing upwards at the screen, as doing so may increase the eye strain. 

Adjust Your Brightness and contrast 
Adjust the screen's brightness to a comfortable level, choose the same brightness as your surroundings. This will help you to expand the contrast on your screen to reduce eye strain.  

Minimize Glare
Install an antiglare or matte screen protector to reduce the glare from your monitor. Wear spectacles with an anti-reflecting coating to reduce glare. Try to reduce glare from the external environment by drawing window shades or blinds. 

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Choose The Right Eyewear
Do not skip wearing your prescribed glasses. Avoid wearing contact lenses while spending prolonged hours on the computer, it may worsen the dry eye symptoms.  

The 20-20-20 Rule
"Set away" from your screen after every 20 min, that you are on the screen look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Stretch your arms, legs and exercise your neck, shoulder, back muscles, to reduce the risk of headache as well as neck, back and shoulder pains associated with prolonged computer use.  

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Remember To Blink
While using our digital devices, our blink rate goes down, leading to dry eyes. Blinking helps to rinse and refresh our eyes. To remind you to blink more often, put a sticky note on your computer screen. 

Use Bigger Fonts 
The smaller the font, the greater the strain on your eyes. Because smaller fonts require greater focus while reading them, causing eyes to strain. 

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Use Artificial Tears
Lubricating eye drops that do not contain preservatives can be used as often as you need. If they contain preservatives, do not use them > 4 times a day.

• Dr Jaypal Reddy
• eye care