Here's How To Keep Your Eyes Healthy When You Work On A Computer All Day

As more people across the world have turned to digital devices to handle their everyday life, more and more health problems have arisen. Things like tech neck and eye strains have become new issues, or at least worsened in the case of eye strains, that computer users deal with because of the long amounts of time we spend using them.

According to research conducted by The Vision Council, 59% of those who use computers or other devices regularly have shown symptoms of digital eye strain. This eye strain is also commonly known as computer eye strain (via All About Vision). With these kinds of statistics becoming more common, it's important to know how to protect yourself against these strains. The longer users go with these types of digital eye strains, the more permanent damage they can cause.

Considering most of our daily lives involve having to use at least one type of digital device, it's important to take precautions to make sure our eyes stay healthy. Here are some tips to do so.

While you can't stop all of your use of digital devices, there are some things you can do to lessen your eyes' strain from using them. According to the Kraff Eye Institute, the 20/20/20 rule may help. The institute explains that after staring at a screen for 20 minutes, you should at an object at least 20 feet away and stare at it for 20 seconds. This way, your eyes take a small break from staring at the screen and limit their strain.

According to Healthline, there are several other easy steps you can take to protect your eyes. One easy switch is simply moving your computer further away from you. In fact, it's best to leave your computer around 20 to 28 inches away from your face. You can also make sure your computer is set to night mode once the sun sets to prevent your eyes from taking on harsh light.

One of the most popular ways people have found to protect their eyes is by using blue light glasses. These glasses specifically filter out the blue light that comes out of digital devices into a yellow tint. The glasses can also help prevent headaches that can arise from computer use.

While it's important to take precautions when using digital devices for your eyes' sake, it's also important to know the symptoms of eye strains. According to Medical News Today, blue light strain can cause damage to the retinal cells, which can cause damage in the long term. Symptoms of eye strain include your eyes constantly watering, experiencing frequent headaches, having blurry vision, and your eyes becoming drier than usual.

Once you start having these symptoms, it's important to take swift action to give your eyes a break and limit the risk of long-term damage. It's possible to also see symptoms in areas other than the eyes. Having a stiff neck, back, or shoulders can also show symptoms of having been sitting for too long in one position. These, along with difficulty concentrating, can be signs that you're starting to suffer because of computer use (via Block Blue Light).