Is it Really that Bad for You to Stare at a Computer All Day? By StyleCaster News | Healthy Living – Thu, Mar 20, 2014 1:02 AM PHT [Staring at a computer all day could be bad for your health.] Staring at a computer all day could be bad for your health.For most of us, staring at a computer for eight hours straight during the week is pretty typical (as is supplementing that time frame by staring at tablets and iPhones). While its commendable that youre getting so much work done, all of this staring can put a serious strain on your eyes. Its happened to us all-by midday youve been staring at your computer for so long that you start to get a headache, your neck and back start to ache and your vision becomes blurred or doubled. Turns out, theres actually a name for these icky symptoms: Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS. According to WebMD, research shows computer eye problems are common and somewhere between 50% and 90% of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms of eye trouble. While theres a very slight chance that youll really damage your eyesight drastically, you do increase the risk of becoming slightly more short-sighted, causing your eyes to focus well on close objects but leaving those in a distance blurred. CVS is kind of like carpal tunnel syndrome where youre repeating the same motion over and over again and your injuries can become worse over time the longer you continue the activity-in this case, staring at your computer. Since theres contrast, flicker, and glare involved it takes more effort for your eye muscles to process whats going on on your computer screen. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to lessen the strain on your eyes and your body: 1. Changing the lighting around your work area as to reduce the glare on your screen because having a glare on your computer screen causes your eyes to have to work more intensely to process whats on the screen. 2. Rearrange your desk. Your computer should be slightly below your eye level and about 20 to 28 inches away from your face. This is the optimal position for relieving CVS because you wont have to strain your neck or back to see the screen correctly. 3. Practice the 20/20/20 rule: Its recommended that every 20 minutes you look away from your computer screen at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Letting your eyes have a rest will keep them from straining too hard to process whats on the screen. This 20 second break is total relaxation for your eyes. 4. Try changing up your computer settings. The brightness, font size and contrast can all be changed to fit your eyes liking so they dont have to strain your eyes more than they already will be. 5. If you wear glasses, wear them. Even if youre an occasional specs-wearer, its key that you remember to wear your glasses while staring at the screen, which will lessen the strain on your eyes. 6. Try eye drops. Some people swear that lubricating eye drops help their eye strain. They even make eyedrops especially for computer eye relief that help your eyes feel refreshed. 7. Stand up. Its key to move around every hour or so-sitting hunched over in your chair can cause serious muscle aches and tension. Walk around the block, get some water, or walk to a new part of the office.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 01:27:17 +0000
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