The new normal has visited us with several challenges few of them being prolonged exposure and usage of digital technology. We find ourselves in a tricky spot where we are dependent on technology for academics, work, social life and leisure time; putting ourselves at risk of developing digital eye strain, chronic neck/back pain and poor concentration.
Have you been experiencing fatigue in your eyes after staring at the screen?
Are you concerned your children are at risk of developing poor vision as a result of excessive screen exposure?
Digital eye strain is a condition where you experience a temporary discomfort of headaches, dryness, itchiness and blurred vision caused by prolonged viewing of screen. The blue light that screens emit is the reason why we may struggle to fall asleep at night; children can develop myopia if screen usage is not curbed whereas adults can experience an early onset of cataract as well.
Another challenge we face is the persistent neck strain and back aches we suffer after hunching in front of our screens all day. Not to mention the difficulty to think clearly or concentrate for extended periods of work. Here are few hacks to protect ourselves from the aftereffects of the WFH culture:
#1 No More Blue light
Did you know that the blue light emitted from the computer screen reduced the sleep chemicals of our brain? Hence it would be wise to adjust the amount of screen brightness as well as the night light setting to warmer tones to prevent excessive strain. Wearing filter blue rays spectacles can be helpful in cutting out the blue rays that emanate from our screens. At night, use an eye mask for improved sleep.
#2 Eye Exercises
In order to strengthen your eye muscles & coordination, take a break by going outside or in the verandah to look at far off objects. A popular hack is the 20-20-20 rule which recommends that we take a 20 second break to look at an object 20 meters away after every 20 minutes of screen usage. Another hack which is popular is rubbing your hands together until they become warm and placing the palm of your hands over your eyes. The final hack you can try is doing eye direction exercises, which involves looking at different directions which includes (up, down, right left & diagonally) for five seconds each, rotate your eyes in a clockwise & counter clockwise to help relax and refresh your eyes. Try out these exercises to prevent eye fatigue.
#3 Laptops and room light
In order to avoid placing unnecessary strain on your eyes, ensure your laptop screen doesn’t have many scratches, is placed about an arm’s length away and is tilted appropriately minimize the glare effect. You can increase the font size of texts to read easier and use any off the counter eye drop to prevent dryness. Turning down the overhead light, closing the window blinds and switching to low voltage light bulbs can prevent eye strain.
#4 Seating and Posture
Ensure that you’re while you are seated, you keep your back straight attached to the chairs, relax your shoulder and avoid hunching your neck towards the screen. Use an ergonomic chair and keep your screen at least 4-5 inches lower than your eye level. During your frequent eye break, also use that opportunity to stretch your backs and rotate your neck to reduce additional aches.
#5 Mindfulness & Professional advice
If you are finding it difficult to concentrate during work, use your frequent breaks to engage in mindfulness. Mindfulness helps improve thinking clarity and focus. If you find yourself experiencing persistent brain fog during work, which adversely affects your productivity, take an online consultation with one of our therapists for professional guidance.
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