You've likely heard of ergonomics, but do you know about “eyegonomics?” When you're spending the day looking at a screen, whether it's a tablet device or a smartphone, you can suffer from eye strain as well as neck pain. You know how it is; you start out sitting straight, but then find yourself slouched over sitting with your neck bent at an uncomfortable angle and before you know it, you have neck and back pain, not to mention red, irritated eyes.
Yes, you can get eye strain simply from using a digital device for more than two hours at a time. Think about how many screens you look at during the course of your day. Desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, e-readers, tablets, televisions and gaming systems. In fact, in a survey conducted by The Vision council, more than a third of U.S. adults reported spending four to six hours a day with digital devices.
To help combat the eye fatigue and irritation, the Vision Council offers these tips for incorporating good "eyegonomics" into your day.
Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away
Create an ergonomically-friendly work station with proper lighting, seat adjustments, and monitor settings
Maintain an appropriate distance from handheld and stationary device screens
Enlarge your computer text and browser windows for easier viewing
Clean electronic device screens frequently to eliminate dust and glare
Remember to blink; staring at screens can dry eyes
If you look at a smartphone most of the day, look at the image below -- at the proper distance, of course -- and note how the setup should appear.
Lastly, consider getting a pair of computer glasses to help combat eye strain. They're available in both prescription and non-prescription varieties. Gunnars are the most well-known but other companies including Sheer Vision & Sheer Glare make glasses treated with anti-reflective coating to eliminate reflections of light.
Do you suffer from eye strain? Have you found any good tips for relieving red, irritated eyes? Let us know in the comments.