Pratinav Mishra
The old saying goes that watching too much TV will make your eyes go square. Nowadays, we seem to spend most of our time looking at screens: be it a computer screen at work, a mobile phone screen to make a call or a TV screen to relax. But how bad is looking at screens for our eyes? Is there really any truth behind the old saying?
According to Dr Blakeney, an optometric adviser to the College of Optometrists, computers will not permanently damage the eyes; however, they can cause strain or exacerbate existing eye conditions.
What problems do looking at computer screens cause?
People who look at computers frequently, (in particular those that look at a computer for more than three hours a day), (2) may experience symptoms such as:
Eye discomfort
Headaches
Itchy eyes
Dry or watering eyes
Burning sensations
Changes in color perception
Blurred vision
Difficulty focussing
How Does Blue Light Affect Our Eyes?
Most visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens to reach the retina. Overexposure to this type of light may affect vision and can prematurely age the eyes. Too much exposure to blue light from computer screens and digital devices can cause digital eye strain. Symptoms of eyestrain include sore or irritated eyes and difficulty focusing. Fatigue, dry eyes, bad lighting, or how you sit in front of the computer can cause eyestrain. Continued exposure to blue light over time can lead to damaged retinal cells, contributing to vision problems like age-related macular degeneration.
Preventing Damage from Your Computer Screen
1 -: Use Proper Lighting:- Eye strain is often caused by excessively bright light from outdoor sunlight or from harsh interior lighting. When you use a computer, the ambient lighting should be about half as bright as most typical offices. To combat this eye strain, try balancing the brightness of the computer screen with that of the room. Adjust the blinds, curtains, and any other sources of light to control glare on your screen throughout the day. If possible, position your computer monitor or screen so windows are to the side, instead of in front or behind it. Remember to re-adjust the lighting back when reading text in a book or on paper.
2 -: Adjust Your Display Settings:- Adjusting the display settings of your computer can also help reduce eye fatigue and strain. Modifying the text size and contrast of font on the background, especially when reading or composing long documents, can help make reading a lot easier. Usually, black print on a white background is the best combination for comfortable reading. While you are adjusting the settings on your computer, play around with the color temperature. Reducing the color temperature of your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted for better long-term viewing. In some cases, software for day/night time color temperature is available, otherwise it is typically on the computer monitor itself.
3 -: Blink More:- Blinking is very important when working at a computer; this action moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. When working at a computer, people blink about one-third as often as they normally do. Many of those blinks during computer work are only partial lid closures, adding to the irritation you may experience when staring at a screen for too long. Tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking phases and this can cause dry eyes. Additionally, the air in many office environments is dry, which can increase how quickly your tears evaporate, putting you at greater risk for dry eye problems. Try using a humidifier to add moisture to the air.