How to Reduce Digital Eye Strain While Working From Home

Do you stare at a computer all day? Then you may have experienced digital eye strain — a common issue faced by many remote workers. In this guest post, Isabelle Marinier of EyeBuyDirect shares tested tips for preventing the syndrome from ruining your health.

People view remote work as a convenient option that keeps them from traffic jams, inconveniences with coworkers, and all the troubles associated with office work. Employees worldwide, even with the end of COVID-19 in sight, prefer remote work over real office work. But with everything happening from behind the screens, from meetings to tasks, computers are the one and only tool to get their work done. 

However, being planted in front of the screen for interrupted hours is a danger that not all remote workers are aware of. Digital eye strain is among the most common issues that most remote workers suffer or will suffer from any time soon.

So, all remote workers must be ahead of the game and know all the precautions and safety tips. That’s why we put together the top seven tips for reducing digital eye strain while working from home. 

Put a Blue-Light Screen Over Your Computer Screen

The blue light that laptops, smartphones, and televisions emit severely affects the human eyes. It may result in cell damage in the retina, inability to center the vision field, and digital eye strain. So, using something to filter this light or reduce its negative effects is a must. Blue-light screen protectors are a very beneficial and convenient solution to prevent the dangerous consequences of long exposure to blue light.

This solution utilizes a coating to filter out computer radiation between 380 and 500 nanometers. Consequently, blue-light screen protectors reduce eye strain symptoms, including dry and sore eyes, headaches, and blurry vision. They treat sleep disorders, reduce risks of eye diseases, and minimize retina damage.

Install Proper Lighting 

Proper lighting has significant effects on productivity, focus, and eye comfort. And laying out a well-lighted work environment should be one of the first things to consider when working from home. Managing the office light is possible by installing suitable office lighting and controlling the screen light. Two of the most popular lighting options are LED and fluorescent, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

LED, for example, is a budget-friendly and energy-efficient lighting option. Fluorescent light, on the other hand, is bright, environment-friendly, and lasts long. Fluorescent light bulbs are a better choice for night work times. But no matter what lighting is in use, the light should be well-distributed and not only focused on the office area.  

When it comes to screen lighting, there’s a proper light for each time and situation. For example, blue and daylight tones are ideal for focus and concentration. Warm light tones are mainly intended for eye relaxation and comfort. 

Use Blue-Light-Blocking Glasses 

Blue-light screen protectors are an advantageous solution for filtering harmful rays. However, they’re not enough on their own. There are blue-light-blocking glasses that are additional and very flexible eye-safety precaution. The specially designed lenses protect eyes from blue wavelengths and filter digital screen light. This kind of glass has a similar effect to blue-light screen protectors, as they reduce eye strain and eye pain, improve sleep quality, and prevent melatonin suppression.

Maintain Good Posture

Sometimes, a worker might suffer from blurred vision, eye strain, headaches, and vision deterioration even after following the above-mentioned safety precautions. The reason behind this is that the brain isn’t in a good posture, consequently, unable to control the vision process efficiently.

The human body parts work together amazingly. The eyes are connected to the brain, the brain is linked to the spine, and the spine is also linked to the eyes. So, a good posture that puts everything in place is of huge significance. Once the connection between the three organs mentioned above is good, the eyes remain healthy.

So, workers must keep their ears, shoulders, and hips aligned, preventing the spine from curving and keeping it straight. Distributing weight on both hips and not leaning on only one also make for avoiding spine curves and strains. The head shouldn’t protrude forward to prevent putting more weight on the neck. That’s to avoid back pains, headaches, numbness, arm and shoulders pain, and insomnia.

Sit at an Appropriate Distance From Your Monitor

The distance between the eyes and the monitor has a major effect on our eyes’ long-term health. We shouldn’t sit too close or too far from the monitor; rather, the perfect distance is decided according to several factors, including the monitor size and visual acuity distance, which stands for the clarity and sharpness of vision. Remote workers can figure these details out by taking a test online and adjusting the minimum distance accordingly.

Another simple way to calculate the ideal distance from the monitor is by using the arm; a worker should place their chair one arm away from the monitor screen. This distance is good enough to keep eyes rested and be able to see the computer’s screen fully and clearly. 

Take Frequent Breaks 

Sitting in front of the laptop screen for long uninterrupted hours has significant threats not only to the eyes but to the neck, shoulders, arms, and hips. So, taking frequent breaks of five minutes for stretching out, walking around, and resting eyes are recommended every 20 minutes. 

Actually, a worker can rest their eyes even without leaving their office by following the 20-20-20 rule. This rule suggests taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at objects 20 feet away. This exercise gives eye muscles a break from the continuous hard work of staring at the blue-light screens and relieves eye strain.

In addition, long sessions in front of the computer result in poor blinking, dry eye, delayed tear clearance, and irritation. So, remote workers must ensure they blink most frequently during work time. 

Schedule Regular Eye Exams

Everyone is advised to get regular eye exams to help in the early detection of eye diseases and vision change. But when it comes to online workers constantly being exposed to dangerous rays, the possibility of the emergence of eye issues is higher. So, online workers should get an eye examination every year to ensure spotting problems early on before things get worse and more dangerous.  

Conclusion

Digital eye strain is a very risky, serious issue that might trigger migraine headaches, chronic neck pain, light sensitivity, and the list goes long. So, remote workers have to be familiar with the safety precautions and follow the tips mentioned above to go on with their work without harming their eyes and health.

Author Bio

Isabelle Marinier is an associate editor at EyeBuyDirect, an online retailer of affordable and high-quality eyewear. She is a lifelong learner who is always eager to try new things. Isabelle combines her skills and experience to transform lifestyle, fashion, and travel ideals into practical reality and relevant information.