Nowadays, we are spending longer hours on the computer and staring at our other digital devices at an alarming rate. Working on a computer all day can be harmful to the eyes without taking the proper steps to protect your eyes. The good news is, both children and adults can take steps to help reduce the most common problems that arise from working on a computer all day.

Top 5 Most Common Symptoms of Computer Eye Strain

People who usually work on computer all day long may experience the following symptoms:

• Eyestrain

• Dry Eyes

• Difficulty Focusing

• Headaches

• Blurred Vision

Eyestrain

This is a repetitive type of strain injury in your eyes caused by inadequate amount of rest, incorrect computer settings and a whole lot more. This leads to muscle eye fatigues where the eyes seem to struggle focusing.

Solution #1: Adjust your computer display settings

Adjusting the display settings of your computer can help reduce eye strain and fatigue. Generally, these are the most common adjustments that are beneficial:

• Brightness

• Text size and contrast

• Color temperature

Dry Eyes

Working on your computer all day also causes dry eye syndrome.  This is an eye condition wherein your eyes get inflamed because of inadequate tears. This condition can get worse when you spend longer hours in front of your computer without breaks.

See Blog: Top 5 Causes of Dry Eye

Solution #2: Take frequent breaks

To reduce your risk of computer vision syndrome and dry eyes, take frequent screen breaks during the day. Take a break from screen time every 20 minutes to let your eyes rest.

During these breaks, stand up, move about and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders to also reduce tension and muscle fatigue.

Difficulty Focusing

Many people who suffer from computer eye strain have difficulty focusing due the the high amounts of harmful blue light your computer emits There are a lot of ways on how to minimize potential damages on your eyes brought on by harmful blue light.

See Blog: Is Blue Light Harmful To My Eyes?

Solution #3: Wear Blue Light Filtering Glasses

Optometrists highly suggest that in order to combat the degenerative effects of the blue light the easiest solution is getting blue light filtering glasses. These glasses can be very helpful since it can reduce the amount of discomfort that can be derived from prolonged staring exposure to blue light on a computer screen. These are also helpful in limiting the exposure of our eyes to a safer level of these lights

Headaches

Many children and adults are not used to sitting in front of a computer all day, and headaches are a common problem. Headaches can be caused by computer eye strain as well as how your computer is setup

Solution #4: Modify your Computer Height

Set your computer screen at its correct and healthy position to help reduce computer eye strain. Position your computer screen so it's 24 to 30 inches from your eyes. Your eye height should be slightly above the center of your screen. Try to avoid working with a computer on your lap or flat on the table.

Poor posture also contributes to computer vision syndrome. Adjust your workstation and chair to the correct height so your feet rest comfortably on the floor.

Blurred Vision

One of the most common problems caused by computer eye strain is blurred vision. Blurred vision is something that can easily be corrected through regular annual eye exams.

Solution #5: Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam

The most important thing you can do is to help with computer eye strain and blurred vision is to have an annual eye exam.

Having a routine comprehensive eye exam every year is the most important thing you can do to prevent or treat vision problems. During your exam, be sure to tell your eye doctor how often you use a computer and digital devices at home and how often you are experiencing symptoms of blurred vision.