Most of us spend hours each day looking at a
computer and other electronic devices -- for some of
us, it’s our job -- and we suffer the consequences.
Computer eye strain is a very real problem caused by
bad habits and bad situations.
Would you believe that 50 to 90 percent of computer
users have the same problems you do? That’s what
some research has shown. Don’t worry though. You
can do a number of things that really work to reduce
your computer eye strain symptoms.
Still, I strongly suggest you get a professional eye
exam if computer eye strain is bothering you. My eye
doctor said dealing with issues related to computers
is most of his business these days.
There’s lots of advice on the Internet about computer
vision syndrome, dry eyes and related eye health
issues, but it’s hard to know what advice to trust.
Below are some proven things you can do to get your
computer eye strain under control.

1. Get rid of glare.
If you have a modern computer monitor, you may
not notice as much glare as there was with old CRT
monitors. Still, glare from the screen and from
nearby surfaces can be a significant problem.
Cover windows in your work area, if possible, and
consider repainting or covering glaring walls. Then,
get a pair of computer glasses, prescription
eyeglasses or reading glasses with anti-glare or anti-
reflective coating. This so-called AR coating can make
a huge difference.

2. Change your display.
Imperceptible flickering of older picture-tube CRT
monitors can be a problem. If the refresh rate is less
than 75 hertz, you probably need a different monitor.
Even if you already have a modern flat-panel LCD
computer monitor, you may not have the best model
available. Resolution makes a difference. Cheap
computer packages often come with cheap, low-
resolution monitors. You also want the largest
monitor your workspace can accommodate. In most
cases, it needs to be at least 19 inches.

3. Change the contrast, text size and other
settings.
When proofreading, typing long documents or doing
other tasks that require looking at the same image
for a long period of time, it’s important to make sure
you have the best contrast, color and text size
settings you can get.
Go for larger text, and consider switching to light-
colored text on a dark background. You may find this
easier on your eyes and therefore less likely to
aggravate your computer eye strain symptoms.

4. Try to blink more.
For many computer eye strain symptoms - including
dry eyes, itching and scratchiness -- part of the
problem is that you’re not blinking often enough.
When we concentrate, we tend to blink less. Try
intentionally blinking more, looking from your
keyboard to you monitor more frequently and
looking away whenever you can.
Some research shows that we blink only one-fifth as
often when at the computer as we normally do. That
allows our eyes to dry -- plus the already-dry air in
our homes and offices makes the problem even
worse.

5. Get some eye exercise.
Computer eye strain is also caused by doing the
same thing for too long, so try looking away, getting
up to look around and closing your eyes more often.
Looking at a distant objects helps reduce the strain
on your eye muscles and can relieve many of your
symptoms.
Even better, switch between looking at nearby and
faraway objects frequently during mini-exercise
periods every 20 minutes or so. These exercises can
loosen tight eye muscles and make them feel better.

6. Use some kind of computer eyewear.
Eyewear can do a number of things to reduce your
computer-related symptoms. It can protect your eyes
from drying winds, help reduce glare and provide
just enough magnification to reduce the strain on
your eye muscles.
If you already wear glasses, ask your optometrist about a special prescription for use only at the
computer. If you don’t wear glasses, you may find
that you can benefit from low power reading glasses
or computer glasses.


Before It Gets Any Worse
Take the time to solve your computer eye strain
issues before they get any worse. I waited longer
than I should have, and I put myself through a lot of
unnecessary pain and anxiety. Once I started using
lubricating drops (another great tip) and low power
reading glasses, I was able to get my symptoms
under control.
I’m not saying my eyes never hurt anymore, but I can
tell you this: Since I started paying more attention to
my eye health, my life has gone nowhere but up.

Gracias