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5 Things to Know about Lockdown Eye Strain

A woman's eye close-up

The pandemic has put a strain on nearly every aspect of our lives, including our eyesight! With more and more people transitioning to remote work environments, more time is spent staring at the harmful blue light of computer screens. While you may or may not prefer remote working or learning, there's no doubt that lockdown eye strain is real. If you're interested in learning more about how to avoid lockdown eye strain and protect your eyes, we're sharing some key things to know about eye strain. Just keep on reading!

1. Keep a distance from screens If you want to avoid damaging your eyesight, never have your face close to your computer or phone screen! Instead, always remember to keep about an arm's length between your screen and your face. This will reduce the amount of blue light reaching your eyes. 2. Don't forget to blink Really? Blinking? Yes! Blinking plays a huge role in combating eye strain. It's the eye's natural way of "washing" the eye and clearing away any stagnant fluid, dust, or dirt, sharpening the vision. You should remember to blink regularly while spending time at your computer. You could even try to close your eyes completely every hour or so to reduce eye strain. 3. Practice the 20-20-20 rule The 20-20-20 rule is a simple yet highly effective way of relaxing the eye muscles and reducing the risk of strain. Every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. Doing so will relax overworked eye muscles, helping to refocus the vision and strengthen your eyesight. 4. Take breaks An obvious yet helpful way of diminishing your risk of eye strain is to step away from screens. Taking breaks and allowing your eyes to rest without the presence of harsh blue light can improve your vision. Throughout the day, turn your screens off and step outside. Let your eyes get the chance to look at something in the distance and to blink; these actions will relax the eye muscles and help reduce the risk of strain. 5. Block out blue light Screens give off blue light, which is linked to poor sleep quality, eye strain, and even certain eye diseases and cancers. One of the most effective ways to protect your eyes from blue light is to block it out with blue-light-blocking glasses. These kinds of glasses are made with lenses that filter out harmful blue light so that you can spend screen time confident that your eyes are protected.

Protect Your Eyes from Lockdown Eye Strain

If your job or hobbies require extensive screen time, it's essential that you protect your eyes from eye strain. Now that you're aware of these key things to know about lockdown eye strain, your eyesight will thank you. Learn more about our comprehensive eye exams in Edmonton and its surroundings. Contact us today so that we can help with all of your optometry needs!

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