If you feel as though your life has been taken over by screens in the past few years, you might not be alone.
In fact, according to emarketer.com, adults in the United States spent nearly eight hours a day engaging with digital media.
Sometimes, spending vast amounts of time in the blue glow of the monitor cannot be helped, particularly for those working from home.
In some cases, this might lead to digital eye strain, a potentially painful and highly frustrating ailment that can truly put a dampener on your day.
Thankfully, there are some preventative steps you can take to protect your eyes from some of the more negative effects of the screen.
Taking Regular Breaks
Taking a break every now and then is a must, as it helps to rest your eyes and de-stress in the middle of a busy day at the computer.
Even just a short break away from the screen may be able to help prevent digital eye strain, so if you can, it is probably worth setting yourself a rest reminder.
Consulting the Professionals
If your vision is continuously blurry or painful, there is a likelihood you will need to seek professional advice as soon as possible to prevent any small issues from becoming unmanageable in the future.
It can be difficult to determine the source of the issue, and in order to make sure that your sight is being properly cared for, professional advice is likely the best way to move forward.
For example, cataracts might not be painful in the early stages, but they can significantly worsen over time if left unchecked.
It is worth noting that there are some fantastic replacement cataract lenses available should you need to get your eyesight repaired.
Accessibility
If you need to squint to look at the text on your computer, you could be affecting your eyes without even noticing it.
The muscles in your eyes might occasionally need a rest too, so why not help them out and change the font size on your devices?
This can be a good way to avoid having to sit too close to the computer while still being able to see the screen as clearly as possible.
If you are using a laptop with a smaller screen, this problem may be slightly more prevalent, but there are a few ways around this, such as buying a larger monitor to attach to your computer or by checking out the accessibility options on your device, as there might be an option that can help.
Brightness
Adjusting the brightness level on your monitor might make a difference to your vision throughout your working day, as can making sure you have the right level of light in the room.
A brighter screen could take some of the pressure off your eyes, as having to squint to read tiny words off a dim background could cause you some pain if done on a regular basis.
