In contemporary society, screens have become an essential component of our daily lives. They serve various purposes, including remote work, online education, streaming entertainment, gaming, email management, and social media engagement, among others.
However, excessive screen time can have detrimental effects on ocular health. This condition, referred to as digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome (CVS), may manifest through symptoms such as dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, discomfort in the neck and shoulders, and potentially long-term vision complications if not addressed.
Fortunately, it is possible to significantly mitigate or even eliminate these concerns by adhering to a set of best practices for screen usage that can be implemented daily.
This comprehensive guide will explore straightforward recommendations aimed at maintaining optimal eye health while frequently utilizing screens.
Let’s begin!
Key Takeaways
Understanding the eye health issues with screen time
Looking at the golden rule that everyone should follow
Discussing the benefits of using the night mode
Decoding screen time retention and many more prevention steps
Eye Health Issues Associated with Screen Time
Before diving into specifics, let’s briefly review the main factors and mechanisms that negatively impact our eyes:
Blue Light Exposure: Screen-emitted blue light is thought to stress the retina and lead to visual fatigue over time.
Reduced Blinking: When staring at screens, our blinking rate drops by about half, resulting in dry, itchy eyes.
Poor Viewing Angles and Brightness: Monitors positioned too high, too low, overly bright, or too dim can cause muscle tension and eye fatigue.
Fatigue from Constant Focusing: The human eye gets tired from having to constantly focus on a screen that’s kept at a fixed distance all day.
All of the above issues can lead to eye fatigue, irritation, and, in some extreme cases, long-term vision problems.
1. Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
One of the easiest tips to follow is also one of the most effective.
Every 20 minutes,
Focus on something that is at least 20 feet away,
For at least 20 seconds.
Try to do this as often as possible. It’s a great way to let your eyes rest and take a break from constant focusing. You can set a timer or use one of the many screen reminder apps to alert you every 20 minutes.
Did you know? By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can significantly reduce the risk of digital eye strain and maintain healthy vision while enjoying the benefits of technology. (Source)
2. Adjust Monitor Position and Viewing Distance
An ergonomically positioned screen can make a huge difference. Try setting it up like this:
Make sure the top of your monitor is at or just below your eye level.
Distance: Keep the monitor about an arm’s length (20–30 inches) away.
Angle: Tilt the screen slightly upward (10-20 degrees).
Incorrect monitor setup can harm your eyes, neck, and spine posture.
3. Use a Monitor with High Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is an important factor to consider when it comes to monitors. The higher the refresh rate, the less screen flicker and eye strain you’ll feel.
Investing in a 120Hz or even 144Hz monitor is well worth the extra money for the added visual comfort. Gamers, in particular, will notice the difference in fluidity while playing fast-paced games. But anyone, even non-gamers, can benefit from the smoother animations and scrolling when browsing the internet or reading documents.
4. Turn on Night Mode or Blue Light Filter
All modern phones, tablets, computers, and laptops these days have a built-in night mode or blue light filter option. The blue light that comes from screens can mess with your melatonin levels, which is the hormone that helps you sleep. This can lead to some serious sleep issues.
• Turning on a blue light filter:
• Eases eye strain.
• Keeps your sleep schedule on track.
• Reduces glare when you’re using your screen at night.
If your monitor doesn’t have this feature built in, you can still use a blue light filter software such as flux or buy a blue light blocking screen protector.
5. Blink More and Drink Plenty of Water
When we stare at screens, our blink rate goes down to half of the normal. This leads to dry eyes and eye irritation.
So,
Blink more often.
Use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops.
Drink more water.
You can also keep a humidifier at your desk to help keep your eyes hydrated while the air conditioner is running in the summer.
6. Use Touchscreen Devices Judiciously
Touchscreen monitors are becoming super popular because they’re so easy to use, especially for creative folks, designers, and business people. However, they can lead to more eye strain since they make you look closer and use them for longer periods.
Here are some chill tips to help reduce eye strain with touchscreen monitors:
Always keep your screen clean to avoid annoying fingerprints and glare.
Try using a stylus instead of your fingers to cut down on too much zooming and tapping on the screen.
To avoid neck and shoulder tension, adjust the screen angle for comfortable use.
Touchscreen monitors can be a great addition to the setup for screen users who are looking to minimize eye strain when used properly.
7. Adjust Screen Brightness and Contrast
The brightness of the screen should be adjusted according to your ambient light. The brighter the room, the darker the screen should be, and vice versa.
Tips:
Use auto-brightness if available on the monitor.
Manually adjust the contrast settings to improve text visibility.
Avoid high contrast modes (such as white text on a black background) for long reading sessions.
Getting your screen brightness and contrast levels just right will create a more balanced environment, which will be much easier on the eyes.
Intriguing Insights
This infographic shows the worst habits for our eyes
8. Take Frequent Breaks and Stand Up
Screen fatigue can cause issues with your whole body, not just your eyes. So don’t forget to take a few breaks during your work sessions. Use the Pomodoro Technique:
Work for 25 minutes.
Take a 5-minute break.
After 4 cycles, take a 15-minute break.
Use your breaks to:
Walk around a bit.
Take a moment to gaze out the window.
Give your body and neck a good stretch.
Try some quick eye workouts (like rolling your eyes or switching focus between nearby and distant objects).
9. Use Anti-Glare Screens or Monitor Hoods
Glare from overhead lights, windows, and other nearby screens is one of the most common causes of eye irritation. For this reason, many office workers find that using an anti-glare screen cover is essential.
Solutions include:
Anti-glare screen protector
Positioning of monitors
Monitor hood
Window blinds or curtains
Most high-quality monitors now include anti-glare coating and flicker-free technology to improve user-friendliness.
10. Get Regular Eye Check-Ups
Even if you don’t wear glasses, it’s important to see an eye doctor or optometrist on an annual or biannual basis. Your eye doctor can:
Help detect early signs of vision issues.
Recommend blue-light-blocking lenses.
Prescribe computer-specific glasses for work.
If you already wear prescription glasses, you can get lenses with an anti-reflective coating and a blue light filter to protect your vision.
11. Choose the Right Monitor for Your Needs
Investing in a high-quality monitor will significantly improve the health of your eyes in the long run. Look for monitors that feature:
High resolution (1440p and above for larger screens)
A high refresh rate is very important for gaming.
IPS panel for higher color accuracy and wider viewing angles.
Low blue light and flicker-free technology
Check out UPERFECT monitors for a wide range of great options with different features that are perfect for every lifestyle—whether you’re a gamer, digital artist, business user, or student.
12. Optimize Workspace Lighting
Natural lighting is best. But when that’s not an option, at least try to optimize the artificial lighting:
Utilizing warm LED desk lamps is more effective than relying on harsh overhead lighting.
It is advisable to position your lamps to the side of your monitor to mitigate screen glare.
One should refrain from placing any lighting directly behind or in front of the monitor.
Proper lighting will complement your monitor’s brightness level and reduce the contrast between the screen and the environment, which will also reduce eye strain.
13. Dark Mode: Friend or Foe?
Dark mode, also known as night mode, is a popular trend these days, with most users preferring it for aesthetic purposes and late-night browsing. But is it really good for the eyes? Well, it depends on:
Ambient lighting in the room.
Type of content being viewed.
User preference and eye conditions.
Experiment with both and see what works best for you and for different lighting conditions. To improve visual comfort, use dark mode in low-light environments and light mode in brightly lit conditions.
14. Use Larger Fonts and High DPI Scaling
Squinting your eyes trying to read small text? Stop doing it. Here’s what you can do instead:
Use operating system-level scaling to make the text and UI elements bigger.
Use larger fonts in browsers and other applications.
Use reading modes while browsing articles and documents.
Bigger text is easier to read, and you won’t have to squint or get headaches.
Final Thoughts
Eye strain is a totally common issue for anyone who spends a lot of time in front of screens. The good news? You can totally dodge it with just a few easy tweaks to your daily habits and workspace, plus some smart choices about your devices.
If you need a new 144Hz gaming monitor, or just a convenient touchscreen monitor, or you’re just looking for a good overall monitor for your work and home office, the best choices are out there. You just need to know where to look.
FAQs
How to protect your eyes from screens all day?
To protect your eyes from the effects of excessive screen time, practice the “20-20-20 rule”, adjust screen settings, ensure proper lighting, use lubricating eye drops, and consider blue light filters. These strategies can help reduce eye strain, dryness, and other discomforts associated with prolonged screen use.
How much screen time is safe for eyes in a day?
For healthy adults, experts generally recommend limiting recreational screen time to less than two hours per day, outside of work or school-related screen use. For children and teenagers, it’s recommended to aim for less than two hours of recreational screen time per weekday. Excessive screen time can lead to digital eye strain and other vision problems.
Is dark mode good for eyes?
Dark mode, or night mode, can be easier on the eyes for some individuals, particularly in low-light conditions, by reducing glare and potentially decreasing eye strain.