The truth about your eyes and computers

Computer use has become so commonplace nowadays that we barely notice It. Millions of people spend their working day viewing a monitor, while most of us rely on our desktops and laptops for leisure, communications, shopping and academic study. However, the human eye was never designed to focus for long periods of time on brightly illuminated, motionless objects, so a little common-sense and pragmatism is required.

The most common monitor-based sight issues include headaches, dry eyes, fatigue and a gradual loss of sharp vision.A good tip for relaxing eye muscles is to take a brief break every 20 minutes. Regular blinking should prevent uncomfortable dryness, but we blink much less when gazing at
computer screens, so moistening drops might be a wise purchase.

Ergonomic monitor positioning is another vital component in preventing eye strain. The screen
should be two feet away and at normal eye level, without any strong lights behind or beside
it. Brightness settings should be reasonably low, with font sizes large enough to read without squinting. Anti-reflective coatings and screen filters can soften harsh strip lights or dazzling sunshine, and LCD/LED monitors are far less reflective than the chunky old cathode-ray units of
yesteryear. Always keep screens as clean as possible, because your eyes will rapidly tire of trying to focus through a layer of dust or grime.

Finally, eye examinations are always important and regular check-ups can help to identify possible VDU-related issues and keep your eyes in good condition to cope with the demands of today's screen work.
For more information, or to make an appointment, please call us 01268 544646