You might be able to relate to the following scenario: it's a typical day at work, and you decide to take a break from your computer to relax for 10 minutes. As soon as your eyes hit the light, you feel uncomfortably dry; constant blinking is necessary. You grab some water and blink furiously, but that doesn't help much. After sitting back down in front of the screen, another 10 minutes pass before you realize that all feeling has left your eye area - it's like someone flipped a switch!
If this describes a typical day in your life, you may be experiencing dry eyes exacerbated by excessive screen time if any of these symptoms sound familiar. Luckily though, there are things we can do about this problem! Let's go ahead and break down ten things that you can do today
1. Adjust Your Office Space
The first reason you might be getting computer eye strain is that your monitor is placed too close to your eyes. For best results, set your monitor at least 15 inches away from your eyes. This will help eliminate some of the eye strain you feel while working on your computer.
If necessary, consider adjusting your whole office space to make it so that you can keep your monitor at a comfortable distance. You might also need to get a USB keyboard and mouse so that you can still comfortably use your computer from a distance.
2. Get New Glasses
Certain types of glasses have special coatings that can be used to minimize the glare your computer screen might be emitting to cause your dry eyes. Getting new glasses is one thing that can be done to combat the effects of dry eyes exacerbated by screen time, along with using a dry eye mask.
3. Take Breaks
Hopefully, it should go without saying that your eyes need to have a break every once in a while. Sitting at your desk for long periods of time without any gaps can be extremely dry and uncomfortable for your eyes, even if you aren't looking directly into the light.
Taking regularly scheduled breaks throughout the day is one way to combat computer eye strain. Get up, walk around, focus your eyes on things other than your computer or phone screen, talk to co-workers, and so on!
4. Use a Humidifier
If you have found yourself with no other ideas and using your heated eye mask for dry eye syndrome is only going so far, you might want to install a humidifier by your computer. One study found that a humidifier near the laptop could help reduce the severity of eye discomfort.
5. Apply Artificial Tears Regularly
If you feel a difference between your right and left eye when you're sitting in front of a computer for a while, this could be because one eye is being used more than the other when reading from the screen. One way to combat this problem is by applying artificial tears every hour or so to both eyes. This will force your eyes to stay moist in situations where they might otherwise dry out.
6. Consider Surgery
Some people might find that irreversible problems cause their dry eyes. Some surgeries can fix this issue that doctors may recommend to patients. This typically works because a surgeon will close out the channel where your tears drain, making it so that they are forced to continue using your natural tears for longer.
However, as with any surgery, some risks come along with it. Regardless, if you suffer from chronic dry eyes exacerbated by screen time and haven't found a solution yet, it may be worth trying!
7. Install a Light Filter to Your Computer
Various studies indicate that particular colors, such as blue, negatively impact those with dry eye syndrome. If you need to use your computer, it will be almost impossible to avoid seeing blue. However, if you install a free light filter on your computer, you can start taking action to fix your dry eyes manually.
8. The 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule is a simple rule to follow that has been recommended by professionals. All you have to do is look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes. That's it!
If you find yourself in a situation where you can't take a break from your work for that long, try focusing on something even closer than the wall or floor. This should help alleviate some of the dryness caused by excessive staring into our screens all day long! If this doesn't work, then try looking down and away from your screen while tilting your head back and closing your eyes for several seconds before opening them again.
9. Schedule Regular Check-Ups/Take Better Care of Your Body
Just like any other part of your body, your eyes need to be taken care of properly for them to function correctly and comfortably. They need protection against different types of contaminants, so make sure to schedule regular check-ups with an eye doctor or stay on top of your general health by eating well and exercising often.
These small things can go a long way in ensuring that you don't suffer from dry eye syndrome exacerbated by screen time! If none of these options work for you, it may be worth trying surgery or searching for other medical treatments available to help reduce the symptoms.
10. Start Using a Dry Eye Mask
A dry eye mask can also help to relieve symptoms of dry eyes exacerbated by excessive screen time. Using the mask will help generate a warm, moist environment around your eyes. Best of all, a mask for dry eye syndrome is effective and much more affordable than many of the other options presented above.
Thinking of Getting a Dry Eye Mask?
If you want to get a heated eye mask for dry eye syndrome, then we have just what you need here at Dry Eye Mask. Whether you need a heated eye mask for dry eye syndrome or computer eye strain, this product has helped countless people to start getting their eye health back without expensive surgery and treatment!
