Struggling with dry eyes, headaches, and difficulty focusing? You're not alone. Computer vision syndrome is a common problem for those working at a desk. This article gathers advice from various computer professionals on how to combat digital eyestrain and protect your precious eyesight.
An engineer, a film editor, and other professionals with computer jobs share their personal tips for combatting digital eyestrain . Stare at a computer screen long enough and you’ll know exactly what “ computer vision syndrome ” ― a real health condition also known as digital eyestrain ― feels like: dry and irritated eyes, pounding headaches and difficulty focusing. I know I certainly have ended some long work days on my laptop feeling like my eyes had stones weighing them down.
Computer vision syndrome is a condition that plagues most modern-day desk jobs. Our bodies are not designed to handle the visual demands and frequent eye movements that looking at a screen all day typically requires. But we need other ways to alleviate the pain that comes with screens beyond this method. That’s why we asked professionals in a range of different computer jobs to share their trusted tips for preventing eyestrain, so we could all learn how to take care of our precious eyeballs better. Here are the tips they shared:\For Carla Stickler, a Chicago-based Spotify web engineer, breaks are important for being able to get work done: “Otherwise I could spend too much time sometimes banging my head against the wall if I’m stuck on something.” Enter what Stickler dubs the “hot mom walk” as a solution to keeping her eyes and brain fresh. “I usually will wake up to feed the baby, and I will take an hour-long walk every morning because I know that if I don’t start my day off that way, it’s harder than to sit all day long and stare at my computer,” she said. And beyond these scheduled walks, hanging out with her 8-month-old son has also been her greatest deterrent from staring at her screen too long: “I’m like, oh, I need to go take a five-minute break and go play with the baby.”\Andrew Giles, an Atlanta-based senior video editor for Warner Bros. Discovery, said that for him, looking out his window gives his close vision a break and it helps him with his creativity too. “I find eyes to be fascinating,” he said. “They’re ever changing and recalibrating depending on what you’re looking at and what’s around you.” “One fun thing that I’ve learned as a video editor is that colors change depending on what you last looked at. You may not notice it, but a movie like ‘Matrix’ is mostly the color green or a movie like ‘Barbie’ is mostly pink. Your eyes kind of get in a groove to what you’re looking at and fill in different colors,” he explained. “So to kind of reset my eyes when I’m working, I stare at a white or gray wall and then look back at what I was working on to see if it still looks the same.” So the next time you’ve been staring at a glaringly white document for a while, take the time to look at a green tree or your orange cat. Your eyes will thank you. \Victoria Haacke, a Davenport, Iowa, resident, sits at a desk all day long for the car dealership she works for. Every day, “I am entering invoices, printing checks, going over time cards ... it can be a lot,” she said. What helps Haacke the most is a consistent break in between every task she does. For her, it’s not just the break away from a computer screen that helps, but also, how frequent it is. “The only thing that I’ve found that help is to look away from the screen every 10 minutes or so,” she said. “I’ll set a task, then when that task is finished, I take a second to look away from the screen, looking at the wall or at a floor. It’s just enough to reset my eyes.” This tip may not work for every kind of job, but if you are your own boss like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania resident Patrick Sanders, consider the restorative joy of a midday nap.Sanders runs a web and hosting company that requires him to be “on call all the time.” To give his eyes a break, Sanders said he usually does a nap in the early afternoon, depending on if he also goes for a run that day ― which “also helps,” he said. “The naps are usually 15 minutes but sometimes closer to 45, depending on if it’s super cozy.” Coziness for Sanders means “the cat climbs on me,” as one example. Science backs up the benefits of a brief nap in the middle of a work day. Planned midday naps have been found to improve alertness, cognitive function, and mood. \Halie Bowser is a Chicago-based Korn Ferry executive recruiter who spends hours interviewing candidates and collaborating with executives through her computer. For Bowser, one big help against screen-related eyestrain has been becoming a certified personal trainer on the side. It’s a win-win since it is both “immensely fulfilling and supports my goal to have less daily screen time,” Bowser said. Bowser acknowledges that not everyone can be a personal trainer, but she firmly believes in the “significance of embracing a hobby that takes you away from the digital realm, allowing for creativity and physical movement.” “Whether it’s picking up a paintbrush or immersing oneself in assembling intricate Lego sets like my spouse, the key lies in giving your eyes a rest and engaging in activities that nourish both body and mind,” she said
Computer Vision Syndrome Digital Eyestrain Eye Care Work-Life Balance Tech Wellness
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