Healthy Tips

January 31, 2012

Reduce Eye Strain at Work

Reduce Eye Strain at Work. A large majority of people suffer from eye strain at some point during the day. Although eye strain is common, the symptoms can vary for the individual. Your eyes are an essential part of your day and you need them to function to their fullest potential. Learn how to adjust your daily activities to reduce eye strain.

Eye Strain Symptoms
Eye strain symptoms vary on the individual and you may not realize that your pain and discomfort stem from your eyes. In very few cases these signs and symptoms can indicate an underlying eye condition that needs to be treated by your physician.

• Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
• Watery eyes
• Dry eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Sore neck
• Sore back
• Shoulder pain
• Increased sensitivity to light

If you frequently sit in front of a computer, it can cause additional eye strain symptoms, including:

• Having difficulty shifting focus from the computer screen and paper documents.
• Seeing color fringes or afterimages when you look away from the computer screen.

Relieving Discomfort. The best way to relieve eye strain is to take steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place, then treating it if it does occur.

• Try to figure out the element causing the eye strain. Reading a book? On the computer? Take several breaks for 30 minutes at a time.
• Adjust light level. Adequate light will relieve tension on the eye muscle from strain. Sit in a well-lit room with the light behind you.
• Rest your eyes completely. If possible, taking a 30-minute break to close your eyes will relieve most stress caused on the eye. Like any other muscle in your body when it gets tired, it needs a time-out.
• Check your monitor. Adjust the distance between you and the monitor by at least 20 inches. Some research suggests that a distance of 35-40 inches may be more beneficial. If you have to enlarge the font size of the computer screen, this may help seeing farther away.
• Reduce Glare. Bright lighting and too much glare can make it difficult to see objections in front of you causing undue strain on your eyes. If you are watching TV, keep the room dimly light to soften the contrast between your focus and the surrounding environment.
• Place reference materials nearby. If you are regularly reference material, keep it at the same distance, level and angel as your primary focus. For instance, if you are sitting in front of a computer screen have your reference material on a document holder. This prevents your eyes from constantly readjusting.
• Blink often. Blinking happens whether we think about it or not but, many people blink less when working at a computer. Your dry or burning eyes can be treated simply by blinking more often.
• Practice relaxation. Your eyes have muscles like the rest of your body. When they are overused they get sore and tired. Try relaxing your eyes by massaging your eyelids and the muscles over your brow, temple and upper check once or twice a day.
• Visual checkups and eye wear. Regular eye checkups from an ophthalmologist or optometrist are important. They should be done once a year if you are over age 65. Your doctor will recommend earlier and more frequent exams if you have diabetes or if you are already showing early signs of eye problems from diabetes, high blood pressure, or other causes. The pressure in your eyes will be measured at some visits to test for glaucoma. Periodically, your eyes will be dilated to examine the retina for any signs of problems from aging, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Adults over age 40 are recommended to be screened for age-related diseases such as cataracts, macular degenerations, glaucoma and Presbyopia.

Environmental factors can also contribute to the stress placed on your eyes:

• Low light levels
• Fluorescent lighting
• Bad viewing angle
• Poor Ergonomic Computer Setup
• Low screen contrast levels
• Glare
• Brightness

When to see a doctor
If your symptoms persist even after small lifestyle changes, you may need to see your physician. See your doctor if you have ongoing symptoms that include:

• Continuous eye discomfort
• A noticeable change in vision
• Blindness
• Double vision
• Headache

If you don't have a doctor, let us help you find one.

Resources:

Ergonomics
LiveStrong
Eye Strain
Mayo - eye strain