As technology continues to advance, many people now have become truly dependent on the use of computers. Many jobs and tasks can be performed easily with the use of PCs. While this is the case, however, the human body still cannot keep up and so we hear a lot of complaints from employees who claim that they started wearing glasses because of being constantly in front of the computer monitor.
Can your computer screen really be harmful to your eyes? Studies in Israel and North America have shown to disprove this. Being in front of your computer cannot ruin your eyesight or further damage it. There are evidences that show people who have been in front of the computer screens to have experienced some temporary eye problems, all of which were resolved in time. This phenomenon is actually likened to a runner after running miles and miles – how do you think the runner’s muscles will feel? Needless to say, any discomfort caused by continuous work in front of the computer can be easily remedied and to further help you with this, here are some guidelines that you can follow:
1. Take regular trips to the eye doctor. If you already have an eye problem, this condition can be further aggravated by constant computer use. More so, if you are wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, make sure that they are sufficient to protect your eyes whilst working in front of the computer. It is diligence in keeping your eyes safe that usually saves the day.
2. Minimize the glare from the monitor. Position the screen so that it does not reflect light coming from the window or any other light source. The pupil constricts and dilates as a reaction to light. You do not want to hurt your eye by straining your pupils so make sure that your work surface is lighted sufficiently, as well.
3. If you are copying a material whilst typing, keep the copy at close distance to the screen. There are instruments, such a manuscript holder that can do this for you.
4. Rest your eyes. This is most important for people who are new to computers. Remember the 20:20 rule, that for every twenty minutes that you spend in front of the monitor, you take twenty minutes of rest. This is very important so as to prevent any eyestrain.
5. Keep your monitor 20-40 centimeters away. This distance is best kept if you do not want to cause your eyes any harm. It is also nice if you position the top of the screen slightly below eye level. The regular function of the eye, tend to focus things by looking at it forward and downward. Having to look upward and sideways will cause your eye to strain.
6. Keep your work surface clean. A dirty monitor can obscure your vision so keep make sure to keep your computer screen clean.
7. Use eye drops to lubricate your eyes. People tend to blink in the least frequency when concentrating intently so the eyes become very dry and this causes it to tear.
8. Use low resolution, low pixel and high contrast for your screen settings. Monitors of poor quality can cause eye strain.
Follow those guidelines and save yourself a fortune on eyewear and surgery!
