8 Tips To Take Care Of Your Eyes When Using Technology
saumya gaur 
Image: Shutterstock
Our eyes do so much of the heavy lifting when it comes to our day-to-day lives, don’t they? Whether it’s catching a glimpse of our beloved, or updating us with the events of the world, or more importantly, working, our eyes are constantly at work. And they do this while being glued on to multiple electronic devices which can take a toll on our precious organs of sight.
This incessant exposure to the visual stimuli makes them tired and puts a strain on them. As a result, we experience symptoms such as unexplained headaches, dark circles, inability to sleep, etc. (1), (2).
Since we cannot ditch this pervasive technology and go back to the analog era, what we can actually do is protect our precious peepers from the adverse effects of the continuous use of technology. To help you do that, we have prepared a small cheat sheet that will give you smart tips to take care of your eyes as you stalk your crush on Instagram (wink wink). To know more, continue reading.
1. Adjust The Lighting
If you happen to spend your evenings binging on sitcoms on your TV, then you should ensure that the room where you are doing so has soft lighting instead of harsh tube lights. If you are reading something, make sure the light is positioned behind you in such a manner that it is directed onto the book or the document you’re reading. In case you use a table lamp while reading, then make sure there is a lampshade on it so that you don’t have direct light shining on your eyes.
2. Give Your Eyes A Break
Just as you need a break after an hour or so from intense activity, so do your eyes. Follow the 20-20-20 rule; after spending every 20 minutes on a screen, focus on something that is about 20 feet away from you, for 20 seconds. This will give your eyes some respite from the constant glare of the screen.
3. Use Protection Against The Glare
This is another tool in your arsenal that you can employ to keep your peepers shining brightly. If you have to use your laptop or phone for longer durations, we suggest you cover their screens with an anti-glare coating. You can also opt to wear anti-glare glasses as a preventive measure. In case, you already use glasses, we would ask you to customize them to include glare protection film.
4. Customize The Settings On Your Devices
This is for those tech junkies who remain glued to their screens at all times. If you send a majority of the day being hooked to these devices, then we suggest you use bigger fonts while reading stuff of them, and also, increase the brightness of your screen so that it reduces the stress on your eyes.
5. Blink As Often As You Can
Blinking is an involuntary action that contributes to keeping our eyes in the pink of their health by providing them with moisture. Be that as it may, a lot of people blink quite less when they are looking or concentrating on a screen. So make it a point to blink more often when you are working on a screen.
6. Keep Your Tech At A Safe Distance
Have you noticed how at the backs of trucks it is written that you should maintain a safe distance from them for your own safety? Well, the same rule applies to your technology as well. Position your desktop or your laptop directly in front of you at an arm’s length so that the screen is just below your eye level. And as far as mobile devices are concerned, keep them about 16–18 inches away from your eyes.
7. Use A Document Stand
If your job involves you looking at multiple documents or switching between reviewing documents and your screen every few minutes, then switch to using a document stand. A document stand kept next to your monitor would save you from the hassle of looking back and forth at the screen and the printed materials, and prevent you from straining your eyes too much.
8. Use Eye drops To Moisten Your Eyes
One of the primary causes of discomfort in eyes arises from the loss of moisture in them. As a preventive measure against that, you can use eye drops to lock in the moisture in your eyes. In case, you suffer from allergies, consult a doctor and ask him to prescribe you an eye drop.
Take these tips into account while using technology to ensure that the windows to your soul remain crystal clear (3). It is important that you inculcate these healthy habits because your organs of sight take a heavy beating by being exposed to constant visual stimuli. If you have any other tips to share, drop them in the comments below.
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