Are your eyes feeling the stress of your not so new work from home set up? Computer vision syndrome is becoming more and more common with the increased near vision demands that come along with working from home. Our team at Eden Prairie Eye Care is here to help and give you some tips to set up your home work environment!
Symptoms of computer vision syndrome can include:
Blurry vision
Double vision or shadowing of images
Neck, head, and back pain
Tearing, burning and itching
Headaches
We hear about them from our patients in our office every day and want to help you find ways to alleviate them!
Enhancing Your Workspace:
First things first. The key to success is having a work space that is set up properly both visually and physically to ensure you have good overall comfort. Proper positioning of your desk, chair and computer are key in making sure you are set up for a successful workday. Below are some tips to help.
Ensure your head and neck are upright and facing your computer directly while seated in a chair that supports your lower back. You want your elbows perpendicular to the floor and as close to your body as possible, with your mouse within a comfortable reach.
The top of your computer screen should be at or slightly below eye level and positioned to prevent reflections from other sources of light. It is recommended to use a document holder when you have to switch between the computer screen and paper documents to help keep them at the same distance and position as each other.
Adjust your computer settings to your preferred text size, brightness and contrast. A good tip is the screen brightness should match the lighting in your work area. You can also utilize "dark modes" on some digital devices, helping to improve contrast and making it easier to read.
Enhancing Your Eyesight:
Of course having healthy eyesight is the best way to avoid eye strain and headaches after a long day of working on the computer. Our visual pathway includes many variables that all play a role in how we see and how comfortable we are doing it. Below are some tips to help!
The 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at an object 20 feet away. This helps to reset the visual focusing system and forces us to relax our eyes.
Blink more often. It's true, whenever we are focused on near work, especially with digital device use we do not blink as often as we normally do. This causes discomfort related to dry eye which can include burning, itching and even tearing!
If you are in a bifocal, trifocal or progressive lens you should be able to see your screen clearly without tilting your head too much. If this is the case contact us to see what alternative lens designs are available for your prescription including computer specific glasses!
Blue light blocking lenses such as Blue IQ lenses can help reduce your exposure to blue light coming from digital device use, which has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns and cause increase in eye strain. Even if you don't have a prescription, it is a good idea to get blue light blocking lenses without power, to help protect your vision while working on a digital device.
Of course the best way to be sure that your visual system is functioning at its best is to ensure you are up to date on your routine comprehensive eye examination. That's where our team here at Eden Prairie Eye Care can help! Regular eye exams are the best way to check the overall health and wellness of your eyes and ensure we keep you seeing your best. We can review your level of digital device exposure and even your at home work space set up to see what the best vision solution is for your specific needs.
For a lot of us working from home isn't going to change anytime soon and even when it does ensuring you see you best is the reason we are here for you. Contact us today at 952-944-2792 to discuss your specific needs or you can schedule your annual eye exam appointment online. We are looking forward to seeing you and as always, we thank you for trusting us with your eye care needs!
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