Many people today use computers for their work, and they sit in front of one most of the day. They may then come home at night and sit in front of their personal computer, laptop, or tablet for a few hours. If this sounds like you, you are putting a lot of strain on your eyes, and you could have something called computer vision syndrome. The symptoms of this are blurred vision, headaches, fatigue, double vision, and eye strain. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep your eyes healthy.
Use Computer Eyewear
If you currently wear glasses or contacts, you should contact your optometrist if you are experiencing symptoms of eye problems. The eye doctor can make changes to your eyeglasses and turn them into computer glasses.
Computer glasses have a special AR (anti-reflective) coating which reduces the glare that bounces off the screen. This makes it much easier for you to look at a computer or tablet screen longer without straining your eyes. You will see some computer glasses with a yellow tint. This is to filter out uncomfortable light spectrum, allowing your eye muscles to relax.
Talk to your optometrist to see if computer glasses are something you would benefit from. If you do not wear eyeglasses, talk with an optometrist about giving you computer glasses that have non-prescription lenses.
Reduce Glare
If your walls are a bright white, paint them a darker color that has a matte finish to tone things down in the room. If you have shades on your windows, make adjustments to them so less sun is shining through them.
You should also change the contrast and brightness of your computer screen. How you do this depends on the type of desktop monitor you have. You may have brightness control buttons on the front or side of the monitor. You may also have an onscreen menu that you can use to change the brightness. You get to this menu by pressing a button that is usually on the side or in front of the monitor. Refer to the monitor's user's manual on how to do this.
If you have a laptop, you will not find any brightness or contrast buttons. In many cases, you can change the brightness by pressing the Fn key, but it does depend on the type of laptop you have. Refer to the owner's manual on how to do this.
Make sure you see an optometrist (such as one from Beyond Vision in Edmonton) on a regular basis to ensure your eyes are staying healthy.
Share2 September 2015
Do you remember the last time you thought about the quality of your vision? Although it can be easy to write off vision problems as a simple frustration, taking the time to visit your eye doctor might help you to take care of important aspects of your day to day life. In addition to making your vision more comfortable with the right pair of frames or the right contact lenses, going to the eye doctor might also help you to keep up with your overall eye care. If you have an undetected disease or illness, your eye doctor might mention it before it affects your health. Read this blog for more information.
