Are You Working from Home? Tips & Tricks to Avoid Common Eye Problems
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, most salaried and self-employed people are working from home to practise social distancing. With the emergence and use of several new digital platforms for connecting, socialising, and getting work done, from the comfort of your home, staying away from digital devices seems challenging.
However, this means that we are now spending most of our time indoors, using our digital devices for long periods. Yes, it is necessary to complete your work, but do you know the side effects of using digital devices for many hours at a stretch?
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Prolonged exposure to digital devices such as laptops and mobile phones can cause discomfort, eye irritation, dryness, pain, blurry vision, and redness in the eye. Hereare some tips to help you avoid these common eye problems due to long working hours in front of your laptops.
- Digital Eye Strain
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), or Digital Eye Strain (DES), is a prevalent eye disorder that is induced by excessive viewing of monitors, laptops, or smartphone screens. You are already aware ofyour daily digital usage, whether it is for office work or during your private time.
Some Common Symptoms of DES or CVS are:
- Eyestrain
- Headaches
- Dry eyes
- Blurry vision
- Neck and shoulder pain
In case you face any of these symptoms when working from home, you must learn how to prevent or relieve eye strain so that no further eye problems develop.
How Can You Avoid Digital Eye Strain?1
- Adhere to the 20-20-20 rule (look away from your digital screen every 20 minutes, for a period of 20 seconds, at an object 20 feet away)[2]
- Ensure that you voluntarily blink more while practising the 20-20-20 rule
- Make sure your room has adequate lighting
- Correct digital screen glares by adjusting display settings
If You are Someone Who Prefers Wearing Contact Lenses Over Glasses:
Yes, contact lenses offer comfortable, and clear peripheral vision, but when using digital screens for an extended period, they may cause dryness in your eyes. Thus, if you are wearing contact lenses and working on digital devices for an extended period, you may feel irritation due to dry eyes.
No, you do not need to start using eyeglasses. Instead, you can consult an eye care professional to decide which contact lenses suit you the best. Amongst the different types of contact lenses available for various eye conditions, you must choose a pair of contact lenses that are specially designed to minimise dry eyedryness symptoms while working on digital devices. With the advancement in technology, and after extensive research, reputable brands such as Bausch+Lomb have designed contact lenses that are specially built to avert lens dehydration and give superior comfort.
You can explore the Bausch+Lomb Ultra Contact Lenses that features MoistureSeal technology, which offers you an unparalleled lens experience as it enables higher breathability and moisture retention of up to 95%. So, if you work long hours with digital screens, Bausch+Lomb Ultra Contact lenses seem to be the best contact lenses option as they are designed for an extended wear duration ofto be worn for up to 16 hours in a day, and preventsdry eyelens related drynessas onthe same time.*
- Myopia or Near-sightedness
Myopia is an eye disorder in which an affected person can only clearly see things that are close to them, while things that are at a distance (far from the person) look blurry. In case you have myopia or are at risk of developing myopia, increased exposure to digital screens may worsen the conditiontrouble you too.
With your work from home regime, you usually work in front of a computer for a prolonged period, which can have a huge impact and may reduce your eyes’ capability to focus on distant objects, whether you have inherited myopia or not.
How to Correct or Avoid Myopia (Near-Sightedness)?
Consult with an optometrist to first discuss your condition.Then follow the recommendations, as prescribed by your eye care specialist.
Some common corrections are:
- Wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses
- Get a corneal refractive therapy (CRT) done (to reshape the curvature of the cornea)
- Laser procedures can be performed to correct vision permanently
- Reduce digital eye strain to avoid worsening the condition
- Wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses
Some other ways for you to prevent eye problems are:
If you are working from home, you know the number of digital distractions we have around you – Televisions, tablets, and smartphones. Scrolling through social media feeds, or researching about a topic, or just watching movies online, you spend a lot of your time using a digital device. Here’s how you can lower your overall screen time:
- Avoid eating meals in front of a TV
- Don’t use your smartphone while eating
- Restrict non-work-related screen time
- Try not to use your digital devices while in bed
- Spend your time on social media smartly
- Please do not use your phone while in the washroom
- Set a daily alarm or reminder to lower your screen time
- Practice some yoga or meditation to relax your mind and body
You cannot deny the fact that working from home has its perks. You can smartly plan your day out and take some time to rest your eyes as compared to when working in the office. So, if you have the privilege to work from home, take this as an opportunity to improve your eye health!