Do you find yourself squinting more? Maybe you are having more difficulty driving at night? Do your eyes get irritated or drier than usual? It could be how you are looking at the computer. Our eyes were designed for hunting or looking at long distances. Now with computers in schools, homes, laps and video games and iPods, more people are staring at smaller and smaller screens in wrong lighting and incorrect positions.

Computer use requires the eyes to maintain fixed focusing and eye alignment at 20 inches for long periods of time. The eyes were designed to constantly change fixation to look for danger or to find food. Focusing and eye teaming (convergence) constantly change while looking at real objects, which have texture and depth. Evolution and technology have changed that. Our eyes stay at a fixed distance when viewing books or computer screens which causes the eyes to become locked in this close range, increasing near-slightness or myopia. Now you know why so many people need glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery. This constant fixation on a computer screen also causes blurred vision, headaches, eye strain, sleepiness and overall fatigue. Lastly, with sustained fixation the eyes do not blink enough, so they dry out. That's why they burn or feel gritty. If you are not blinking enough use a good quality artificial tear such as Refresh Tears, Genteal, or Hypo tears.

You can relieve some of this strain yourself.

Position Screen
The computer or video screen should be slightly below eye level (about 20 degrees). Now with laptops, it is easy to place your computer on your lap which makes it way below eye level. Use a lap pillow or position yourself so the screen is no more than 30 degrees below eye level.

Use Good lighting
Avoid working in rooms that are dark or too dim. Use an adjustable table lamp that can be aimed by you without causing screen reflections. Eliminate glare and screen reflections by moving or tilting the computer or getting an anti-glare screen. Try not to face toward windows or bright light source. Make sure the light in the room is about equal to the brightness of the display. Movie theaters are okay because the huge screen fills up the room with light.

Adjust Brightness
Viewing a dark screen is better than a bright, white screen. If you are staring at a white background, adjust the screen brightness and contrast so it is not as bright. You might want to clean your screen regularly since screens attract dust.

Take Breaks
If you spend hours starting at a computer or play video games, try to take a break every 20 minutes. Set a timer using an online stopwatch. Computer use results in a decrease in blinking to almost one third of normal. Stop occasionally and blink. Look away from the monitor at least 20 minutes but if you can it is even better to look away every 10 minutes.

Do Eye Exercises
Close your eyes tightly for 5 seconds and then open them. Repeat this 5 or 6 times every 10-20 minutes. This will relieve some of your strain. You can even use a warm washcloth lightly pressed to your eyes. Don’t rub your eyes too hard because it can break blood vessels. And like I wrote in the last paragraph, blink. During your break, focus on something far away for a minute or two.


About The Author:

Bob Haines is a Technical Lead at IT24BY7. IT24BY7 is the first 100% virtual online computer repair and technology support firm, providing certified technicians and IT consulting to business and home users nationally and globally. From software and hardware installations and rollouts to ongoing IT support such as PC repair, POS service, printer repair, VoIP support, Network Security. IT24BY7 provides immediate online service with qualified technicians holding certifications, including CompTIA A+, MCSE, CCNA, CCNP and others, capable of supporting you at virtually every zip code Nationwide and Globally.