How to Keep Your Eyes Safe From Smartphone and Computer Screens

Eye strain from phone and computer screens isn’t something you think about very often, but once it affects you, it’s difficult to ignore.

Eye protection from computer screens and smartphones is more crucial than ever, but preventing the problem rather than treating it is the key to success.

Simple preventative measures can help protect eyes from computer screens and smartphones, and in this article, we’ll look at a few of them.

Is Screen Time Harmful to Your Eyesight?

Because almost everyone uses a screen in their daily lives, digital eye strain (DES) is more common than ever.

While not everyone spends every day looking at a computer screen, most people do use smartphones. According to experts, DES affects about half of all computer users.

So, do screens deteriorate your vision? The good news is that eye strain is not a permanent condition.

Although there is no evidence that strain causes long-term vision damage, it does produce extreme discomfort and makes getting through a work day difficult.

Symptoms of Phone and Computer Screen Eye Strain

Headaches, impaired vision, dry eyes, and, in severe cases, neck and shoulder pain are among the most prevalent signs of eye strain, according to the American Optometric Association. When your eyes squint, they alert the rest of your body to a problem.

The fact that we cease blinking subconsciously while reading screens causes dry eyes, and other discomfort reactions are triggered by the body communicating that something is wrong.  When you use a computer all day for work, these symptoms will appear after extended amounts of time in front of a screen.

How to keep your eyes safe from screens

• Use the 20/20/20 Rule

Your eyes aren’t made to stare at anything in front of you all day. During long work days, the 20/20/20 rule provides a much-needed break for your eyes.

If you stare at a screen for 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something at least 20 feet away. However, the longer you look away from your computer screen, the better!

• Make sure your space is well-lit

When you’re working on a computer, it may seem counterintuitive, but less light in your room is actually better for your eyes. Close your curtains and reduce your use of fluorescent lighting in your office to keep it from being too bright.

Make sure your ambient lighting is about half as bright as the average office by using lower power bulbs.

• Examine your eyes regularly

Regular eye exams help you stay on top of your eye health and ensure that your problems aren’t anything more serious than normal eye strain. It also provides you with an excellent opportunity to speak with a professional about your habits and eye health.

• Reduce Glare

Glare on your computer screen can cause eye strain as it stops your eyes adjusting as easily as they should to the content you’re trying to focus on.

Use an anti-glare matte screen where possible (rather than glass-covered LCDs). If you’re a glasses wearer, make sure your lenses have an anti-reflective coating.

• Use High-Resolution screens

Most people don’t have to use CRT screens any more. Those were the old computer screens with low refresh rates, which caused a visible flicker and made your eyes hurt.

Today’s screens have refresh rates of 75Hz or higher. The higher the number, the better. Furthermore, higher-resolution screens appear more lifelike. Your eyes don’t have to work as hard to make sense of the visuals in front of you when you can’t see the pixels