Stare At A Screen All Day? 4 Simple Ways To Avoid Eye Strain
Do you sit in front of a computer screen all day? If you do, you could be damaging your vision. Eye strain can increase your risk of developing vision problems. You can't change professions but there are a few things you can do every day to protect your eyes. Here are four simple eye exercises you can do while you're at work.
Go Dark
The light shining from your computer screen can take its toll on your eyes. Give them a break from the glare by going dark for a few minutes. Rest your elbows on the desk in front of you and cup your hands over your eyes. Leave your eyes closed for about 2 minutes. This will relax your eye muscles and give them time to recover from the bright lights.
Fluctuate the Focal Point
If you spend most of your day looking at objects that are 12" to 18" in front of you, your eyes can strain from the constant focusing. Give your eyes a chance to focus on something else by fluctuating your focal point. Put one elbow on the table in front of you and raise your index finger. Your finger should be about 6" to 8" away from your face.
Focus on your finger for several seconds. Now locate an object across the room and focus on it for several seconds. Look back and forth at both objects about 5 times each. Repeat the exercise whenever you feel your eyes getting tired.
Roll Your Eyes
When you were a teenager, did you ever have someone tell you not to roll your eyes at them? Well, rolling your eyes is actually a good vision exercise. Sit with your back straight and your feet planted firmly on the ground. Look straight ahead. Roll your eyes to the right five times, making small circles. Now, roll your eyes to the left five times. Repeat the exercise five times on each side.
Go Diagonal
If you're like most people, you probably spend the majority of your day looking up and down, which can put a lot of strain on your eye muscles. Give those muscles an extra work out by going diagonal for a few minutes each day.
Look straight ahead. You should be able to see the tip of your nose. Look down to the right diagonally and hold it for about 10 seconds. Look straight ahead again. Now, look down to the left diagonally and hold for another 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise five times.
Eye strain can lead to vision problems. If you are required to focus on a computer screen all day, these exercises will help prevent eye strain. If eye strain is causing you to experience recurrent headaches, you should speak to your optometrist. You may have a vision problem that will require treatment.