There are a lot of people who like to work from home, but not everyone has their own office. If you have to work from home, don’t worry; there are ways to make it work!
Almost everyone who works in an office spends a lot of time on a computer or tablet. If you use these devices for a long time, your eyes may get tired.
Estimates of eye strain caused by office lighting are scary. The American Optometric Association says that Computer Vision Syndrome causes more than 10 million people to see an eye doctor each year (CVS). Most people worry that using a computer will hurt their eyes. Some of the signs of vision problems are tired eyes, eye strain, pain, stinging, or burning, blurred vision, dry eyes, or tears.
If the lighting in an office is too bright or too dim, people are more likely to have eye problems. Users of computers should work in places with 200 to 500 lux of light. A lux rating of about 300 is best for places that don’t have any other bright light sources. When there are big differences in how bright things are or when the area is already very bright, 400-500 lux lights are better. Fluorescent bulbs that flicker should be changed or fixed on a regular basis.
Long-term use of digital screens at work can cause eye irritation or problems with vision, which is common. When people work from home, they may spend more time working and playing on screens. Symptoms of eye strain can be lessened by making changes to the way you work and where you do it.
Your eyes may get tired because of the light from your device, the glare from the screen, and the amount of light in the room. Make your device the brightest light in the room to keep your eyes from getting tired.
Some of the signs and symptoms of computer vision syndrome, also called digital eye strain, are dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. You could also get “tech neck,” which hurts your head, neck, and shoulders and makes it hard to see.
Making small changes to your environment can help you see much better. Put your computer screen about an arm’s length away and 10-15 degrees below eye level to start.
One of the most important steps in reducing eye strain from computer screens is to have a full eye exam. At McDonald Eye Associates, our staff does full eye exams to find out if you have any vision problems and to show you how to protect your eyes from eye strain caused by work.