10 Tips for Computer Eye Strain Relief

1. Wear the proper prescription eyewear: It is important to wear the proper prescription eyewear as an incorrect prescription may cause the eyes to strain leading to discomfort.
2. Use eye drops to moisten your eyes: Eye drops can be used to moisten the eyes that have been staring at a digital screen for prolonged periods of time. These eye drops are called artificial tears or lubricating eyedrops
3. Adjust the monitor of your computer: The position of the monitor is important as if it is too far away or too close, it can cause digital eye strain. An incorrectly placed monitor can also cause neck pain.
4. Change your computer settings: You can change your computer settings as a way to potentially relieve computer vision syndrome. This can be done by enlarging the text and font size on the screen.
5. Adjust the brightness of your computer: Adjusting the brightness on your computer can help eyes that have become sensitive to light. Reducing and dimming the brightness may relieve eye strain.
6. Relax your eyes and do eye exercises: Relaxing your eyes and performing eye exercises can work to give your eyes a break and also release tension from the eye muscles.
7. Change air quality by increasing the amount of moisture in the air: Air quality is an important factor in reducing eye strain. Air that is too dry can cause irritation which is why humidifiers can be very beneficial for the eyes.
8. Take a frequent break if you work at a computer all day: It is very important to take breaks if you are working on a computer all day as the eyes can easily become tired or irritated.
9. Always drink water to stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is not only beneficial for the eyes but the whole body. Water is crucial in tear production which helps to moisten the eyes and reduce eye strain.
10. Refresh your eyes by blinking often: People tend to blink less when staring at digital screens. It is important to actively try and blink often when on a computer as it helps to add moisture to the surface of the eye.

1. Wear the Proper Prescription Eyewear

Wearing the proper prescription eyewear is a key tip to prevent computer eye strain. Prescription eyewear is used to correct your vision, typically for people who have refractive errors such as farsightedness and presbyopia. Refractive errors are a category of visual issue that affects a person’s ability to see clearly. Refractive errors can be underlying causes of computer eye strain as they can cause near vision to be blurry, meaning the eyes have to compensate and work extra hard to see the computer screen clearly. Prescription glasses such as reading glasses or intermediate glasses can be prescribed by an optometrist to correct vision and make looking at a screen more comfortable, helping to provide relief for computer eye strain.

2. Use Eye Drops to Moisten Your Eyes

Eye drops can be used to moisten your eyes for computer eye strain relief. There are many different types of eyedrops available to treat certain eye conditions. The eyedrops used for computer eye strain relief are artificial tears, also known as lubricating eyedrops. Artificial tears are available over the counter and may help to relieve dry and irritated eyes by adding moisture to the surface of the eye. They help ease eye strain as they work in the same way tears do, as they have a similar make up. Eye drops may be needed to help with digital eye strain as when people stare at screens for a long time, they blink less, potentially leading to the eyes becoming dry and uncomfortable.

3. Adjust the Monitor of Your Computer

The position and angle of the monitor of your computer are major contributing factors to eye strain. You can adjust the monitor of your computer to help relieve eye strain as according to the Queensland Government Health Department, it can greatly impact your comfort levels. The Queensland Government Health Department recommend positioning the monitor approximately arms-length away and directly in front of you with the top of the monitor at or just under eye level. This ensures your neck is in a comfortable position, not straining upwards or looking downwards. Most monitors will have the capability to tilt up or down so you can find the perfect position that feels the best for you and your work environment.

4. Change Your Computer Settings

You can change your computer settings as a way to potentially relieve computer vision syndrome or computer eye strain. While adjusting the monitor so that your workspace is comfortable is important, to increase relief, you can adjust the settings of your computer such as enlarging the font size. This can assist when reading on a computer screen because if the type size is too small, the eyes tend to strain in order to read, leading to eye strain. Enlarging text and font size can also be applied to other digital devices such as a phone or tablet which may prevent the eyes from overworking themselves to read the text.

5. Adjust the Brightness of Your Computer

Adjust the brightness of your computer to potentially provide relief from computer eye strain. Computer eye strain can result in an increased sensitivity to glare according to the Queensland Government Health Department. Other forms of lighting in your workspace can be dimmed so overhead lights or lamps are not too bright or give off too much glare. According to the Mayo Clinic, eye strain may also be caused by reading in low light as the eyes have to strain to read the words, therefore, ensure whatever you are reading is properly lit.

6. Relax Your Eyes and Do Eye Exercises

To relieve computer eye strain, you can relax your eyes and do eye exercises as they work to give your eyes a break and also release tension from the eye muscles. The top eye exercises you can do for computer eye strain relief are palming, changing focus, blinking and rest. Palming refers to putting the palms gently over the eyes to help them rest. Palming is used to give your eyes a break and also help the eyes recover from strain. Changing focus works the eye muscles to relieve tension. Blinking adds moisture to the surface of the eye, preventing them from becoming dry. Finally, rest is crucial for relieving computer eye strain as it allows them to relax and take a break from concentrating on digital screens. Performing these exercises and allowing the eyes to relax, may help to relieve computer eye strain or computer vision syndrome.

7. Change Air Quality by Increasing the Amount of Moisture in the Air

You can change the air quality of your home or workplace by increasing the amount of moisture in the air, as this can potentially help relieve computer eye strain. You can change the air quality by using a humidifier which is a device that adds moisture to the air by evaporating water. Humidifiers prevent dryness and irritation that may be causing eye strain. According to the Mayo Clinic, reducing the amount of dry air moving on the eyes and face is a key way to reduce eye strain especially when the eyes have been looking at a computer screen all day.

8. Take a Frequent Break if You Work at a Computer All Day

To help relieve computer eye strain, take frequent breaks if you work at a computer all day. Computer work takes a significant amount of concentration, especially from the eyes which can cause them to become strained or tired. Taking frequent breaks from the computer can be very beneficial as it allows the eyes to rest and relax. This can be done by getting up from your desk or wherever your computer is and taking a walk or going to get a drink. There is also the 20-20-20 rule which allows you to give your eyes a rest while still at your computer. This involves looking at an object twenty feet away, for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. By taking these small or longer breaks throughout the day, it can prevent computer eye strain and give your eyes relief from discomfort.

9. Always Drink Water to Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated by drinking water is a fundamental part of making sure you feel your best no matter what activity you are engaging in. Make sure to always drink water to stay hydrated while working for long periods of time on the computer. Drinking water benefits the eyes as it helps to produce tears which are necessary for healthy eyes. Dehydration can lead to many unwanted symptoms related to the eyes such as dry eyes, vision problems like blurry and double vision, and a lack of tear production that results in eye strain.

10. Refresh Your Eyes by Blinking Often

Computer eye strain may be relieved if you refresh your eyes by blinking often. It has been proven in multiple studies that the blinking rate is reduced with computer use which is outlined in an article published in the National Library of Medicine. According to the Queensland Government Health Department, the average person blinks 15-20 times a minute. Blinking is important as it cleans the surface of the eye and adds moisture to the eyes. Prolonged periods of time spent on a computer can cause the eyes to become dry and irritated due to a lack of blinking. To ensure you are adding moisture to the surface of the eye, try and remember to blink often. Some ways to apply this is to actively think about blinking or have a blinking cue such as when a notification pops up or when you change tabs.

What More to Know About Computer Eye Strain?

Computer eye strain has become more common among people due to the increase and advancement of technology in our everyday lives. Most people interact with digital screens for hours each day especially if it is required for work or school. To know and learn more about computer eye strain, read our article on blue light glasses as it discusses how these types of glasses may help.