How to prevent eyestrain during long hours of computer use

What is eyestrain?

Let's start at the beginning by defining what eye strain, also known as asthenopia, is. Eye fatigue is translated as eye tiredness caused by intense use of the eyes. Two of the most frequent situations in which we suffer from eyestrain are when we have to drive long distances or when we have to spend long hours in front of the computer.

Visual fatigue is a frequent and unpleasant condition that tires us and reduces our ability to concentrate, but in most cases, it is not serious and can be solved with several tips that help to relax our eyesight. Although there are cases in which the symptoms of asthenopia indicate an underlying eye disease that may need treatment.

Symptoms of eyestrain

There are several symptoms that we can suffer when we suffer from eyestrain and surely more than one of us has had them on more than one occasion.

- Pain in the eyes accompanied by a feeling of tiredness and stinging.

- Dry eyes or xerophthalmia, feeling pain due to rubbing with the eyelids in the cornea area.

- Blurred vision or double vision, as if we had clouds in the eye.

- Slight headache.

- Neck and/or back pain.

- Dizziness, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and difficulty keeping the eyes wide open.

Ophthalmologic diagnosis and treatment

If these symptoms are very persistent, more intense or that several of them begin to accumulate and end up diminishing your quality of life or performance at work, it is advisable to see an ophthalmologist. He or she will perform a thorough eye examination to evaluate the proper functioning of the eye and identify possible visual problems that are aggravating the symptoms of eyestrain.

Treatment for asthenopia will depend on whether the ophthalmologist identifies a more serious condition. But in general, you will only need to make small changes in those daily activities that require full and constant visualization.

- Improve your sitting posture.

- Have good lighting and humidify the work environment.

- Hydrate well.

- Do eye exercises to rest your eyes.

- Take eye breaks if we have to spend long hours in front of a screen.

- Keep your eyes well hydrated, using artificial tears if necessary.

- Avoid as much as possible the use of screens in our leisure time.

- Sleep well, 8 hours a day is recommended.

- Check the prescription of the glasses, in the case of using them. And consider the use of lenses with anti-reflective treatment if we work in front of a screen.

Eyeglass that help alleviate eyestrain

When choosing frames that help relieve eyestrain, the most important thing is that they are light and that they are as comfortable as possible to wear for hours. From Vytria Eyewear we have made a small selection of all the designer frames that you can find on our website:

Cazal 1275 004

One of our favorite frame brands is Cazal Eyewear, because they are very thin, elegant, and light; in addition to having an endless number of models. In this case the Cazal 1275 model is with invisible frame which makes it super light. It is available in 3 colors.

Cutler and Gross 1394 02

For acetate lovers, there is no better frame brand than Cutler and Gross. They are more robust and marked glasses, but very light and easy to wear. We selected the Cutler and Gross 1394 aviator style because there are many fans of this style that is back on trend.

Gigi Studios Ayame 8119 2

The Gigi Studios Ayame model is ideal for all those who love metal frames and round glasses. Ideal for working long hours in front of a computer. At Vytria we have them available in silver and gold.

Balenciaga BB0130O 009

Within the new collection of Balenciaga optical frames, we have the BB0130O model in two new colors, elegant and discreet, but that allow us to flee from the most classic. On our website you can choose between burgundy and midnight blue.

Tips to reduce or avoid eyestrain

As you already know, eyestrain is not a serious condition, and it is almost always in our hands to prevent it. Here are 4 tips to reduce or avoid eye fatigue:

Lighting

The most important thing is to achieve optimal lighting levels in the room where we are going to spend a long time, whether in the bedroom reading or in the office working.

- To watch TV: dim lighting.

- For a close-up activity: place the light source behind you and direct it onto the page.

- To read at a desk: use a lamp and place it in front of you. Note: The lamp should always have a shade.

Rest and limitation of screen use

If we have to spend hours in front of a screen, it is essential to take breaks and stop looking at the screen for a few seconds and frequently. The same applies if we spend hours reading, whether in an e-book, but also on paper. It is very important to rest our eyes when we perform an activity that requires constant vision.

Whenever possible, we should limit the use of screens, especially in our free time and more importantly when we are with children. We cannot prevent screens at school, college, or work, but we can in our free time, and we have to do it if we want to avoid damaging our eyes and vision.

Artificial tears

Although the use of artificial tears is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to avoid eyestrain, as they help prevent and relieve dry eyes. We often err on the side of using them when our eyes already hurt, but it is best to use them when our eyes are well and keep them well lubricated.

Air quality

Whenever possible and within our power, we should improve the quality of the air in the rooms we frequent. For example, by maintaining an adequate temperature, using a humidifier, ensuring proper ventilation and, of course, avoiding smoke.

Recommendations for visual fatigue due to screen use

As we have seen in this post, most of the time visual fatigue is caused by spending long hours using a screen. Just as we must consider the previous tips related to the environment, there are also some recommendations for visual fatigue due to screen use:

Blink

One of the exercises we recommend is conscious blinking, since blinking is a reflex action, but we can also provoke it and many times we are so focused that our brain "forgets" to do it. We must be conscious and force ourselves to blink more often to produce tears and refresh our eyes.

Check lighting and glare reduction

As we have already said, it is very important to check the lighting in the room where we are using the computer, but we cannot forget about reflections and external light sources. It is very common to work in offices with windows and we must take care of the light that enters through them, use curtains if necessary or even reorient the location of the computer.

Rest and monitor setting

It is important to rest and sleep a minimum of 8 hours/day for the whole body, including the eyes, to function at 100%. But when we use screens, we must force ourselves to rest our eyes. A good trick is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes look at objects that are about 20 feet away (approx. 6m) for at least 20 seconds.

Also very important is the location of the workspace and having the monitor well positioned. It must be right in front of you at an arm's length, the top of the screen has to be at eye level or just below.

Display configuration

Not only should we have the computer monitor well located, but it is also equally important to have the screen configuration well done. Above all, we have to pay attention to the font size, it has to be an easy-to-read size, and adjust the contrast and brightness to a level that is pleasant to our eyes, and we do not have to be forcing them continuously.