How to Maintain Your Vision While at Work
If you work on a computer for most of the day and experience symptoms, such as eyestrain, blurred vision, dry or burning eyes, headaches or trouble focusing, you could be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS). Making a few changes to your workstation and your daily routine can bring relief and protect your eyes from long-term damage.
How to Maintain Your Vision Through Your Workstation Setup
1. Use the Right Screen: A large monitor with a flat surface is best when spending long hours on the computer. With more screen space, you can keep text at a large enough size that it can be read comfortably. Set the resolution at a level that ensures all elements on the screen are easily visible. Replace your monitor if it flickers or if the image begins to appear blurry.
2. Look Straight Ahead: Bending your neck down, craning to look up or turning your head to one side for any length of time puts stress on your neck and creates an unnatural path for your gaze. Position your monitor so that it sits directly in front of you and your eyes are level with the top. This directs your gaze slightly down without requiring you to move your head in a way that can cause strain. When working with printed documents, place them on a document holder at the same height, so that your eyes don’t have to refocus every time you look away from the screen.
3. Sit Up Straight: This practice is as important for your back as it is for your eyes. Slouching causes your head, shoulders and arms to slump into a curved shape that your body isn’t used to. Arrange your workstation to promote good posture throughout the day by setting your chair at a height that allows your arms to rest at right angles. Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you work at a standing desk, use the same setup to ensure proper body alignment.
4. Ditch the Glare: Light bouncing off your screen from windows, overhead fixtures and lamps causes your eyes to have to readjust over and over as you work. To control the brightness in your work area, close blinds as necessary during the day and keep desk lamps away from the screen. An antiglare cover or shield can be used to block out lights that can’t be adjusted.
5. Practice the 20-20-20 Rule: In addition to using the right workstation setup, many eye health experts agree that you should take a break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The point is to give your eyes regular periods of rest to prevent dryness and preserve vision health. Getting up and moving around is equally as effective and helps relieve stress or strain in other parts of your body.
You should begin to experience relief from CVS after putting these changes into practice. If you continue to have trouble seeing, make an appointment with your eye doctor to make sure that no other vision problems are present.
Want to Learn More About How to Maintain Your Vision?
CorrectVision Laser Institute is one of Florida’s most advanced vision correction practices with extensive experience in eye health. Our goal is to open your eyes to the world of great vision by offering unparalleled expertise and the most advanced technology available. Contact us today for a consultation with one of our South Florida eye specialists, located in Hollywood, Weston and Pembroke Pines!