It’s undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world as we know it. The pandemic has affected healthcare, travel, businesses, education, and just about every facet of life.
Several countries are already in the process of recovering from the global impact of COVID-19 impacts of the pandemic. However, there is still one [thing] that is still affected by the pandemic: office work.
To curb the spread of COVID-19, many companies around the world switched to remote work and allowed their employees to work from the comfort and safety of their homes. The pandemic started in 2020, and to this day, millions of people worldwide are still working remotely.
There are many benefits to working remotely. First and foremost, since you are just at home, working remotely plays a significant role in preventing COVID-19 infection. Second, working remotely is much less stressful because you don’t have to spend time sitting in traffic.
Working remotely does have a downside, though. It can lead to or worsen computer eye strain. Working with computers, tablets, and smartphones often causes computer eye strain regardless if you do it in the office or at home. However, working remotely can exacerbate the symptoms of computer eye strain because you tend to be exposed to more devices for much longer periods.
The good news is that there are many ways to lessen the symptoms of computer eye strain and prevent their reoccurrence. If you work remotely, here are xxx eye care tips you should follow:
1. Follow the 20-20-20 rule.
It’s important that you take frequent breaks when working in front of your computer. Doing so helps to greatly reduce the symptoms of eye strain.
Rest your eyes by following the 20-20-20 rule. Optometrist Dr. Jeffrey Anshel developed the 20-20-20 rule as a way to help patients rest their eyes and deal with the symptoms of eye strain.
The steps of the 20-20-20 rule are simple yet highly effective at giving the eyes a break and preventing eye strain. To follow the 20-20-20 rule, you just have to take a break from using your computer every 20 minutes, and then focus your eyes on an object that is at least 20 feet away (approximately 6 meters) for 20 seconds.
Changing your viewing distance from an object that is near your face to one that is at least 20 feet away forces your eye muscles to relax which prevents eye strain.
2. Modify your workstation.
Another way to prevent computer eye strain is to modify your workstation and make it more eye-friendly. Here are easy tips that you can implement immediately.
Computer screen brightness and contrast
Adjusting your screen’s brightness and contrast isn’t an exact science. It all depends on your comfort level and what you can see on your screen. You’ll likely have to adjust them a few times to find the perfect settings. Just remember, avoid making the brightness and contrast too high that your computer screen looks like a light source from far away. At the same time, avoid making your screen too dim that you can barely read anything on the screen. The right setting is where you can see every detail on the screen without the screen’s brightness straining your eyes.
Color temperature
With modern computer monitors, you have the option to change the screen’s color temperature. You can either manually adjust the blue, green, and red levels, or you can choose from settings such as “normal”, “warm”, and “cool”, and the color temperature will change automatically based on your chosen setting. “Warm” is the best temperature for your eyes. If you want to adjust the color levels manually, just increase the levels of green and red and reduce the level of blue.
Monitor position
Your monitor should not be too close to your face. For the most eye-friendly viewing, your monitor should be between 20-30 inches away from your face. In addition. the top portion of the screen should be at your eye level. This prevents you from tilting your head too much and straining your neck and eyes when looking up and down your screen.
3. Keep your eyes hydrated.
One of the most common symptoms of computer eye strain is dry eyes. To prevent dry eyes, you have to ensure that your eyes are always hydrated. There are two ways to keep your eyes hydrated.
The first way is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Doing so is a great way to keep your eyes moist and the rest of your body hydrated and invigorated.
The second way is to use artificial tears or lubricant eye drops. These products are over-the-counter (OTC) solutions that you drop into your eyes to relieve the symptoms of dry eyes. You can find them at any drugstore and buy them without a prescription. They are generally safe as long as you use them only as directed. There is a wide range of brands available that all have different ingredients, so you may need to try a few out before finding the one that is best for you.
Conclusion
Just because you work remotely doesn’t mean you have to live with eye strain. Yes, computer eye strain can be a literal pain, but follow the tips in this article and you’ll soon see a huge improvement in how your eyes feel.
About the Author
Jericho Gonzales is a Content Marketing Specialist at Lens.com. Writing is his passion, and he specializes in tech-based and consumer product-based writing. His other passions lie in the worlds of fantasy and science fiction. When he isn’t busy with wordcraft, he loves to immerse himself in those worlds through novels, video games, TV shows, or movies.
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