Adults spend nearly 11 hours of their day looking at screens, whether it be their phone, computer, tablet or TV. Our days are filled with screen time, so how can we keep our eyes healthy in this digital age?
20-20-20 Rule
Your eyes can get dry and tired from looking at screens for a long time, so the 20-20-20 rule can help give your eyes a break. For every 20 minutes you are looking at a screen, stop and look at an object that is about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives the eyes a chance to relax. This rule doesn’t just apply to screen time, though. If you’re doing other visually-taxing activities, like reading a book, your eyes can still get tired, so give them a break every 20 minutes.
Dry Eyes and Screen Time
Staring at a screen all day can dry out your eyes. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, we blink about 15 times per minute, but we blink nearly half as often when we are looking at a screen, which can dry out your eyes. Use artificial tears to refresh your eyes if they are feeling dry.
Other Ways to Reduce Digital Eye Strain
When you’re using a computer, sit about an arm’s length away from the screen and position it so that you are looking slightly downward at it. If a screen is brighter than the light of the room you are in, then your eyes have to work harder to see it. If the screen is too bright, try adjusting the brightness and contrast of the screen, or adjust the lighting in the room.
Digital eye strain is a growing problem as we continue to look at our screens even more. Make sure to take frequent breaks from screens and use artificial tears to insure your eyes stay healthy.