Screen time has increased across the globe, meaning most of us are getting more exposure to blue light — a leading cause of vision-related issues in adults and children. If you’ve felt that nagging pain behind your eyes after staring at your digital devices all day, you’ve probably experienced it, too. It’s called eye fatigue or eye strain — and it’s preventable.
- When you’re sitting too close to a device, your eye muscles have to work harder to focus. This can lead to irritation or headaches. To avoid it, maintain a one-arm distance from your laptop while working.
- Tilt your screen slightly downwards to reduce glare. You can also use a blue-light-blocking screen cover for your laptop or wear glasses that block blue light.
- Turning on the warm light scale on your devices can help you find a healthy sleep cycle and improve your overall health and happiness. You can also opt for a pair of yellow glasses or “sleep glasses,” especially if you’re burning the midnight oil.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. When you’re working on a laptop, take a break every 20 minutes. Look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a chance to relax.
- Ensure that you get regular eye check-ups. If your doctor recommends, you can also use an eye lubricant or artificial tear drops to avoid your eyes from drying out.
- Finally, keep track of what you eat. Consume green, leafy vegetables and foods high in Omega-3 oils.
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The pandemic brought with it many intense changes, but the worldwide shift to an entirely digital lifestyle may have been the most jarring. Schools switched to online classes almost overnight and in-person meetings and brainstorms were swapped with Zoom calls. Most of us could only connect with our loved ones virtually. Even as some parts of the world begin to open up, there’s no escaping the screen, really. Many of our social interactions still take place behind one.
