Everyone is settling into their mandatory quarantine differently, but it’s inevitable that we’ll be glaring at our laptops more than usual due to Zoom meetings, streaming movies, and taking online courses.
We have all felt the eye fatigue from working too long at our desks, but did you know there is a medical diagnosis for it? It is called computer vision syndrome. The symptoms are dry eyes, eyestrain, and headaches.
Your eyes can become strained from a few things: the brightness of a screen, looking too closely at a screen instead of using your glasses, and even the pixelation of the words. Our eyes go dry quickly when we’re in front of a screen because we forget to blink enough while watching videos or reading articles. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to give yourself reminders on your phone to “blink now.”
The best way you can combat all of this is to simply take breaks from your screens. This is why some streaming services have a reminder after a few episodes to ask if you are still watching. Use that to take a break from the continuous cycle of staring at the screen. Another helpful way to alleviate these symptoms is to use artificial tears, or eye drops. This helps to keep the eyes hydrated.
When it comes to headaches, that normally happens when you need reading glasses to help focus on screen text. Most people find relief when they have the proper prescription and remember to wear them. Streaming and working from home do not have to come at a cost if we just remember to take care of our bodies, eyes included. We all just need to make sure we’re not overdoing it with our computers, smartphones, and televisions.