As someone with high myopia since childhood, having a desk job for almost ten years and mainly “near activities” for hobbies (reading, blogging, writing, crafting, internet surfing and watching shows), my eyes has gotten easily tired,  developed astigmatism and worsened dry eye syndrome. My prescription glasses lately has to be expensively custom-made to keep me working with computers longer with less discomfort (most of my headaches are actually eye strain-related).

Pandemic happened and my eye grade still got worse, to the disappointment of the doctor. I just discovered it when my eyeglasses (which was already a lifesaver) broke and I revisited the clinic for replacement and check up. She couldn’t believe my grade is getting worse at age 31. – 6.00 with 150 astigmatism and dry eye syndrome

When we’re cooped up at home one can go over 12 hours or more facing big, medium and small screens for work or leisure or entertainment. We forget that our eyes are one of the hardest-working organs, and losing them now in this digital world is even easier and faster without taking precautions.

Some tips shared to me and read up are:

1. Avoid unnecessary “near” activities = activities that engages eye muscles to contract to accommodate seeing nearby things clearly – aka reading, writing, some arts and crafts, watching on small devices, writing, using laptop / desktop. (I’ll stop looking at my phone after this, promise.)

2. Take vision breaks. Practice 20-20-20 rule = Every 20 minutes of near activity, look up and look 20 meters away (or as far as one can see) for 20 seconds (or more), to relax the eye muscles.

I tend to hyperfocus for long periods of time so I set up a timer to call my attention and remind me to stop my work for a while. Sometimes 20 seconds become stretching time, coffee/water/bio break, etc and that is fine, too. Vision break and Pomodoro technique in one.

3. Blink more often. Deliberately.

4. Use Artificial tears / lubricating eye drops if necessary. It needs to be the lubricating type that one can use up to 4 times a day only OR the preservative-free ones that can be use for more than 4 times a day.

OTC – Systane and Optive
Prescription – Hyabak

5. Hydrate more. Cut back on caffeine and salt or some medication like antihistamine or compensate with more water.

I take an antihistamine and sleeping aid in one but the dry eyes and thirst I get in the morning made me have a bottle of water ready on my bedside.

6. Use computer lenses / anti blue light eyeglasses with computer use or anti glare glasses when driving. They are inexpensive without prescription.

7. Maximize devices’ anti blue light settings / night mode / eye comfort mode.

This feature that makes the screen look warm orange-tinted, useful for e-book reading, late-time internet browsing or midnight Netflix-bingeing (when sadly we can’t curb our habits yet). My work laptop is on Night mode almost all the time, and my phone automatically goes into warm screen light mode by 6pm and black-and white by 10pm.

8. Correct sitting posture – looking down on the laptop screen or mobile device and at least 10 inches away from the monitor.

Let’s take care of our eyes. Can you imagine what life would be without them?

#digital #work #healthandwellness  #eyehealth