| Eyestrain is a common form of eye discomfort | | | | on your eyes. If you have a window behind you, |
| that can occurs when your eyes get tired from | | | | ensure that you have closed the curtains to avoid |
| intense use, such as driving a car for extended | | | | any reflections on the monitor screen. Do not |
| periods, reading or working at the computer. | | | | make use of fluorescent light in your working |
| Many of us spend an average of 26 hours a | | | | room. If you are used to work at night, use a |
| week on their computers at work and at home | | | | table lamp placed preferably on your left and |
| without realizing the negative effects on their | | | | facing the keyboard, with a white light rather than |
| eyes. This can easily give rise to eye problems | | | | a yellow one. Use anti-glare technology. Also |
| such as eye strain, eye fatigue, eye stress, eye | | | | ensure the use of an anti-glare screen for the |
| pain, blurred vision, headaches, and more seriously, | | | | monitor if glare is a problem in the work |
| eye infections and eye disease. | | | | environment. |
| But you can Avoid eye strain by taking simple | | | | 7. Get lots of rest |
| precautions. Here are some things you can do to | | | | Eyes need to sleep just like any other organ in |
| help relieve and even prevent eye strain: | | | | your body. If your eyes are hurting or are |
| 1. Use proper lighting | | | | bloodshot, you might need to get more sleep. At |
| Avoid working in rooms that are dark or too dim. | | | | the very least, you can simply lay down and "rest |
| Using table lamps are better for your eyes than | | | | your eyes" for a while. |
| overhead lights. If you're staring at a TV or | | | | 8. Invest in a good 17 – 19 inch LCD Monitor |
| monitor, make sure the light in the room is about | | | | Exchange an old CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor |
| equal to the brightness of the display. | | | | for an LCD (liquid crystal display) one because the |
| 2. Don't forget to take breaks | | | | latter will give a better quality and a sharper |
| Breaks will allow you to rest your eyes for a few | | | | image, thus reducing the need to squint and strain. |
| minutes and hence building less stress to avoid | | | | "The images have sharper edges, which |
| eyestrain problems. Try to spend no more than | | | | contribute to the overall clarity of what you're |
| one hour without taking a break. Computer use | | | | looking at onscreen, which in turn contributes to |
| results in a decrease of blinking to almost one | | | | eye comfort." |
| third of normal, putting even more strain than | | | | 9. Adjust the brightness and contrast of your |
| usual on your eyes. | | | | computer screen. |
| 3. Hydrate Eyes | | | | If the screen is either too dark or too bright, this |
| Wash eyes regularly with cold water or use a | | | | might also cause eyestrain. Hence, remember to |
| saline solution in the form of eye drops to | | | | always adjust the display settings on your |
| prevent dehydration which can lead to dry, itchy | | | | computer so the brightness of the screen is |
| eyes. | | | | about the same as your work environment. |
| 4. Position the monitor Correctly | | | | As a test, try looking at the white background of |
| Make sure that your monitor is at a height just a | | | | this web page. If it looks like a light source, it's too |
| little below eye level, optimally at a 15 degree | | | | bright. If it seems dull and gray, it may be too |
| downward angle. This will ensure that you need | | | | dark. |
| not strain your eyes to look at the screen. It will | | | | Also, adjust the screen settings to make sure the |
| also help prevent neck and upper back soreness. | | | | contrast between the screen background and the |
| Additionally, the monitor should be at arm's length | | | | on-screen characters is high. And make sure that |
| (20-30 inches) away from your eyes. This will | | | | the text size and color are optimized for the |
| ensure that that your eyes are safe from the | | | | most comfort — read the tips in the sidebar. |
| glare of the monitor. | | | | 10. Get plenty of vitamin. |
| 5. Exercise your eyes. | | | | Taking vitamins can help our eyes stay healthy |
| Close your eyes tightly for 5 seconds and then | | | | for a longer period of time. Vitamin A, C, and E |
| open them. Repeat 5 or 6 times. This will | | | | are the primary contributors for healthy eyes. All |
| temporarily relieve strain and pressure. Lightly | | | | three assist in preventing cataracts from forming |
| pressing a warm washcloth to your eyes once in | | | | and play an important role in the prevention of |
| a while is also a good idea. Don't ever rub your | | | | macular degeneration. Vitamin A prevents night |
| eyes too hard, though, or you may break blood | | | | blindness, while Vitamin C acts as the protector of |
| vessels. | | | | eye health. Vitamin C may also prevent and |
| 6: Avoid light reflections and glares | | | | alleviate glaucoma. |
| Reducing glare will dramatically reduce the strain | | | | |