Eye Health In A Digital World

Whether it’s for work or play, most of us spend a large part of our day on laptops, e-readers, tablets and mobile phones. Be it sharing our latest photos, ‘liking’ the newest trends, online shopping, checking our work emails or devouring that “must read” novel; it’s hard to avoid giving in to the digital age. But, do any of us realise what affect this is having on our eyes?

Here at Trinity PR, we are guilty of all of the above, so along with Elaine Lucas, Optometrist at London Medical we’ve developed some simple tips on how to keep your eyes feeling their best whilst still enjoying the latest piece of tech.

Wear your glasses if you need them to look at the screen.

• Monitor level: make sure the top of the monitor is slightly below your horizontal eye level. This causes less exposure of your eyes and your lids at a lower level too.

• Blink regularly: Our blink rate goes down by up to 30 percent when we stare at a screen. This causes dry eyes and discomfort. Blinking ensures our eye produce tears.

• Mood lighting: It’s not just the lighting on the screen we need to think about, it’s also room lighting. Too much overhead lighting will cause a glare, whereas too little will cause a strain on the eyes. Position your screen to avoid glare from overhead lights or windows. Close curtains or blinds to avoid reflections. Keep your screen free of finger prints and dust.

• Give yourself a break: Looking at computers or laptops for long periods of time really fatigues the eyes. Try taking breaks away from the screen if you are using devices throughout the day, 10 minutes every hour should do the trick. In some people, prolonged use at a computer can lead to Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), symptoms of which can include; headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue, dry eyes, double vision, vertigo/ dizziness, and difficulty refocusing the eyes.

• Keep your distance: On average we work with handheld devices at closer distance than we would with printed paper. Try keeping your computer screen at least an arms distance away and handheld devices around 16 inches away.

• Use a comfortable font size: increase the font on very small documents

• Adopt the 20/20/20 rule: For every 20 minutes you are looking at a screen, look 20 feet away, for 20 seconds to let your eyes blink normally. The 20/20/20 rule gives your eye muscles a break and increases our blinking

• Put it to the test: The only way to gauge the impact of using an iPad, iPod or other handheld device on your eyesight and eye health is to book an appointment to see an optometrist. Regular, comprehensive eye exams are critical to protect your eyesight.

To book an appointment with Elaine Lucas visit: www.londonmedical.co.uk or call 020 7467 5470.