PROTECT YOUR EYES WHILE WORKING ON A COMPUTER IN CALGARY
Headaches can be the result of a variety of causes. Did you know that vision problems can lead to headaches? Even simple eye strain may result in recurring headaches, especially if other, underlying issues exist. Using prescription eye glasses or other types of eyewear that are not accurately matching your vision can also cause fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. If you are experiencing poor vision and headaches, it is time to visit your Arbour Lake optometry centre. One of the experienced optometrists at Crowfoot Vision Centre will examine your eyes. This is the best way to explore the underlying problem, as well as address any resultant symptoms that arise, such as headaches.
At Crowfoot Vision Centre in Calgary, our team of eye doctors understands that when you can’t see clearly, every aspect of your life suffers so we’re dedicated to making the world a clearer place for all our patients. Crowfoot Vision Centre offers lenses that will aid you in all of your different activities, including computer usage: progressive lenses that are ideal for distance, computer and reading vision; and coatings for your lenses to help reduce glare from your computer monitor. To further protect your eyes while working at a computer, here are a few tips to consider:
- Sit far enough away from the screen - usually at least an arm’s length away from the screen.
- Locate the computer screen 4 or 5 inches below your eye level - you should look down at the computer screen at about a 15 to 20 degree angle. This ensures that more of your eyeball is covered by your eyelid, keeping your eyes moisturized and healthy.
- Position reference material properly – above the keyboard and below the computer’s monitor, use a document holder or a book to prop up materials a few inches and help rest your eyes.
- Adjust your screen lighting - screen illuminated should be in relation to your environment.
- Reduce glare from your screen - surrounding lights can reflect off your screen and strain your eyes. To reduce glare and keep your eyes healthy: keep your computer screen clean; avoid sitting with a window behind you; and, use lower wattage light bulbs.
If you experience the symptoms of digital eye strain/computer vision syndrome, including headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dark or discolored eyes, and neck and shoulder pain, take a break for a few hours to let your eyes rest to prevent permanent eye problems. You can significantly decrease your risk of developing digital eye strain by following these suggestions:
- Blink often - when focusing on a screen we blink half as much, meaning your eyes are at much greater risk of drying out when working on the computer. To address this: deliberately blink every five seconds or so; or every 20 minutes, look away from the screen for 20 seconds.
- Take regular breaks – the American Optometric Association recommends that for every two hours of looking at the computer screen, you should take a 15 minute break allowing you to blink naturally and re-moisturize your eyes.
- Ask your eye doctor about specialized glasses - tinted to reduce glare from computer screens, and visit your Crowfoot Vision Centre eye doctor in Calgary annually who can recommend different methods of protecting your eyes while you use the computer.
For more information on customized computer use lenses or a comprehensive ocular health and vision exam, contact Crowfoot Vision Centre at (403) 241-3000 today.