Be an Informed Screen Watcher- Four Precautions to Reduce Eye Strain From Digital Screens

The job market and requirements today are astonishingly different than they were two decades ago. Previously jobs depended greatly on physical skill or hand-written office work. But as computers eased their way into the workplace and retail market, even the people at the counter of the store spend the majority of the day looking at a screen.


If not a screen at work, we have our eyes glued to phones for extended periods. These habits can strain and damage your eyes. Eye problems caused by computers and similar screens are known as computer vision syndrome. They fall under the category of repetitive injuries that you might get at work. Here are a few steps you can take to reduce the effect of CVS:

Protect Yourself From Glare
Glare is a blurred reflection due to a light source reflecting on your screen. It can strain your eyes more than you think. You can get a glare filter to remove the glare. You can also reduce glare by positioning your desk in a way that no light source directly shines on your screen.

Rearrange Your Desk
The best position for a computer screen is slightly below your eye level and around 20 to 28 inches away from your face. To see your screen, you should not have to stretch your neck or strain your eyes. To further avoid neck pain, get a stand that holds your documents as you type.

Take a Break
This part cannot be stressed enough. It is a very common mistake considering how obvious it is; sometimes we are so invested in our work that we absolutely forget to take our eyes off it. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. After every 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Change Screen Settings
You do not have to work with factory screen settings for your life, especially if they seem to strain your eyes. Tinker around with the brightness and contrast, and see what is comfortable for your eyes. Use the built-in blue light filter, or if you do not have a built-in one, buy blue-light filtering glasses or a screen.

Working adults are not the only people affected by this; even kids are facing similar symptoms. Most modern entertainment is based on some kind of screen. This exaggerates if the posture and lighting are less than ideal when looking at a screen. What are your thoughts on the matter, tell us in the comments below!