There are many people who pass every hour of every day in front of a digital screen that can be a computer, smartphone, tablet or TV. We have already seen how much working at the computer all day is bad for your health, both because you stay seated for too long and because you strain your eyes too much.
With regard to vision it is not so rare to have symptoms such as red eyes, dry eyes and loss of vision in the evening.
Unfortunately, then the sight is severely tested by the fact that even during free time, smartphones, tablets and other digital devices that emit light are used.
Taking for good what is written in an article on the authoritative blog thenextweb, we see here how to protect your eyesight from damage caused by computer and smartphone screens .
READ ALSO: Protect your eyes in front of the PC
Most people spend around 6-9 hours a day on a digital device and at least 25% of people spend more than ten hours a day in front of a screen.
Your eyesight can begin to feel tired after about two hours and it doesn't matter how old you are and how good your eye is.
The eyes are cleaned and moistened every time you blink.
Apparently the use of the computer reduces the beat frequency by five times and the probability that the beat is not complete, that is, does not cover the whole cornea of the eye.
This can cause eye strain, tiredness and headache.
This reduction in the blink of an eye is associated with Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS ) or Vision Syndrome, the symptoms of which include:
- headache
- blurred vision
- dry eyes
- pain in the neck and shoulder
- double vision
- sensitivity to light
Light affects everything in the human body, from heart rate to cognitive skills.
When too much light comes in or not enough good light comes in, some biological and behavioral processes are altered.
Speaking of the effects of light on vision, the more light passes through the cornea, the crystalline lens and the macula, the more they absorb electromagnetic radiation, up to a limit of 460 nanometers (nm).
If you exceed this limit, the light from the screen is not absorbed and can cause damage to the retina.
The problem with digital computer and smartphone screens is the blue light (or high energy visible light) they emit.
Very recent studies say that the damage caused by blue light to vision depends on the negative effects it has on rhodopsin, responsible for color perceptions.
In practice, blue light, according to these studies, leads to a faster aging of the vision that can become faded over time more quickly than normal.
Although this diagnosis seems, for now, a little too alarmist, the sure thing is that the blue light of the screens leads to sleep disturbances and concentration .
Blue light is able to pass through what is called the hypothalamic retinal tract responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm and a whole series of other biological and behavioral processes that are influenced by this light more than normal.
Given the problems, let's see how to protect eyesight especially from computer screens, but also for mobile phones .
1) Lower the lights
The computer screen must be the brightest thing in the room.
If possible, it would be best to turn off or dim the lights around.
The lighting must be too much too little.
Less light is needed to view the monitor and, if anything, have a lamp for viewing documents on the desk.
2) Reduce glare
Another problem is that the screen can reflect light sources such as windows or objects in the room.
It is important to position the computer to minimize reflections, away from windows.
It is also important to have a well-functioning computer with large enough clear images and writing.
The monitor must then be cleaned.
3) Minimize exposure to blue light
Blue light is not good for eye health (probably) and, for sure, creates sleep disturbances (because it alters the circadian rhythm as seen above).
You must therefore avoid exposing yourself to blue light at least 2-3 hours before going to sleep in order not to suffer from insomnia.
Fortunately, there are programs that can adjust the blue light automatically on the computer monitor depending on the time and applications to adjust brightness on mobile phones and tablets.
4) 20-20-20 rule
Look away from the computer or screen every 20 minutes, focus on an object at least 20 meters away for at least 20 seconds.
There are also programs to schedule work and eye breaks.
5) Sit properly at the computer
Everyone sits in the wrong way because it seems to be more comfortable in certain positions, curved, with a straight back, with straight legs, with the monitor too close or too far etc.
In another article, the guide on how to sit in front of the computer so as not to tire the back and eyes
6) Take some vitamin A
Vitamin A is good for rhodopsin in the process of light absorption by the retina.
It is therefore good to eat potatoes, carrots and green leafy vegetables and foods with vitamin A.
7) Listen to the body
If you feel tired with your eyes, it's not just fatigue from work but eye strain.
Better not to ignore it, if you feel with dry or burning eyes or with a headache, better take a break and blink several times to moisten your eyes.
Then there are other tips to preserve your eyesight from the deterioration caused by computer screens and monitors.
It is worth checking the eye health regularly from the ophthalmologist and considering buying polarized glasses to use in front of the computer.
READ ALSO: How computer glasses work
