While you are on your computer and mobile phone, chances are the furthest thing from your mind is how the light is affecting your vision. Everyone has a phone, everyone uses the computer, and it doesn’t always register that it may be damaging to your eyesight and health.
Screens can have detrimental effects on your eyesight, as well as your circadian rhythm, and throw off your sleep patterns, vision and be a cause of headaches. While you don’t have to give up your screen time entirely, there are some things you can do to mitigate the effects of the screen and leave yourself feeling healthy while protecting your eyesight.
But how do computer screens affect your eyes, and what can you do to stop it?
Eye Strain
While you may be used to passing hours on your computer or mobile phone, this can lead to straining your eyes, leading to headaches and possible vision damage, One of the best ways to reduce eye strain is to take frequent breaks from viewing your computer or mobile screen and allowing your eyes time to rest.
Eye strain can lead to headaches, which can detrimentally affect your quality of life and ability to function, so it is important to allow your eyes to rest and relax. The muscles surrounding your eyes are no different than the rest of the muscles in your body, they are made to work but can also be overworked. Adding tension to these muscles can affect the muscles in your forehead, leading to pain and strain that can be uncomfortable.
Eye strain also presents itself in different forms, such as dry eyes. When you view your screen continually, you don’t lubricate your eyes as well as is necessary and this can lead to dry, itchy, and grainy eyes. While you can use eye drops to evade this, it is best to allow your eyes time to rest and not over-exert them in the first place.
Taking breaks from your screens is one of the best ways you can prevent eye strain.
Blue Light Blocking and Anti Glare Protectors
Blue light is one of the most detrimental features of your mobile and computer screens. This light can give you headaches and send your body into awake mode when it is time to sleep. One of the best ways to fight this is to block the blue light from your life. A lot of cell phones have a blue light blocking mode that should be enabled, and you can purchase screen attachments from Block Blue Light UK.
You can also check out their store and see what is available that fits your personal needs. No matter what your personal needs are, you can find accessories that will limit your exposure and protect your eyes from blue light, allowing you to rest well without the negative effects of blue light on your eyes.
Other accessories you can purchase are screen protectors that reduce glare, these can help to compensate for improper room lighting and reflections on the screen. Ensuring that your screens are properly accessorized can make a huge difference in how your eyes adjust and handle extended periods of strain.
Room Lighting and Glare
Making sure that your eyes are not taking in too much light is important. While you don’t want to work in a dark room with glaring computer lighting, you also want to reduce the lighting so that glare and fluorescent lights are not also affecting your vision or making you squint to see the screen. Ensuring the lighting around your computer is appropriate can make your eyes strain less to see the screen. Also making sure that sunlight through your windows is not reflecting on your screen can make a world of difference for your eyes, and how hard they have to work to allow you to see.
There is a multitude of ways that you can protect your eyes from computer screens, and it is important to consider all of them. Ensuring that you are protecting your eyes, and making the proper adjustments to your screen settings, you can protect your eyes from excessive strain, alleviating headaches, lack of sleep, and dry eyes.
Your vision is incredibly important and protecting it at all costs can make all the difference in your life. While reducing your screen time is the best way to prevent these issues, that may not always be possible so make sure that you are doing what is right for your situation. Whether at work or home, you can protect your eyes from your computer and mobile screen.
Featured image: Unsplash (卡晨).
