A modern person, on average, looks at the screen of a computer, smartphone, TV or tablet twelve hours a day. It really is very, very much. For this reason, it is important to know how a computer and other electronic devices affect vision, how to protect your eyes and prevent a decrease in sharpness of vision. It is necessary not only to lead a healthy lifestyle in general, to abandon bad habits as soon as possible, to undergo planned medical examinations, but also to follow the recommendations of physicians designed specifically for those who work a lot at the computer.
Computer Vision Syndrome
How to maintain vision when working at a computer, many begin to think only when overvoltage, frequent headaches, dryness and blurred vision already occur. These are the main symptoms of the so-called computer vision syndrome.
In medical practice, a syndrome is not called a disease, but a complex of symptoms that is characteristic of a particular condition. Computer syndrome is a voltage that occurs during prolonged use at a computer or with other electronic devices, such as a smartphone or tablet. The main symptoms of this condition are:
- eye fatigue, which occurs in approximately 65% of patients;
- overfatigue of the eyes, which is typical for half of those who think about how to maintain their vision with constant work with technology;
- a feeling of "sand" in the eyes, a pronounced feeling of discomfort;
- headache, which appears in almost 50% of cases;
- pain in the neck in the shoulders, wrists and arms, which is typical for approximately 45% of patients;
- eye irritation, itching and burning in the eyes, dryness;
- back pain, which is typical for 40% of patients with computer syndrome;
- general fatigue, tension, stress;
- blurriness, decreased sharpness of vision occurs in one third of patients.
The degree of tension that the body experiences during prolonged use of the computer is determined by a number of factors, including the degree of illumination, the distance to the monitor, the position you are in, the angle of the head, and so on. Vision problems also have an effect. How can I keep my eyesight while working at a computer? It is necessary to reduce the adverse effects of these factors. Computer vision syndrome does not require special drug therapy, however, you can use drops to further moisturize the eyes, as well as enrich your diet with products that are useful for vision.
Workplace organization
How to protect vision when working at a computer? You can not bring your eyes closer to the monitor (screen of a smartphone or tablet) closer than thirty centimeters, and the upper edge of the monitor should be located ten centimeters below eye level. It is best that the distance between the eyes and the upper part of the screen is about 50-75 centimeters.
When working at a computer, you need to blink more often to moisturize your eyes, if necessary, you can use eye drops for additional hydration.
The monitor should be approximately at arm's length, and when working on the keyboard, you need to ensure that your hands have minimal bend of the wrist. You need to sit straight, and a chair for working at the computer to choose one that will support the lower back. In addition, the edge of the chair should not put pressure on the lower part of the knees.
How to save vision when working on a computer? To prevent fatigue from accumulating so quickly and make it easier to work, you can purchase a special computer chair with armrests.
For maximum convenience and elimination of adverse effects on vision, it is necessary that ceiling lights or sunlight are not reflected on the computer screen.
Image quality and brightness
How to maintain vision with constant work at the computer? In relation to the lighting in the office or in the room, the monitor should not be excessively bright or excessively dim. You also need to monitor the contrast of the image. The higher the brightness and contrast in dim lighting, the faster your eyes will get tired when working at a computer. How to save vision when working at a computer? Anti-glare filters can be used to reduce light reflection from the monitor screen.
Rest for the eyes during the day
How to save vision when working on a computer? During the day, you must definitely give your eyes a break from the PC. This is very important in a set of measures that answer the question of how to maintain vision, if you work a lot at the computer. Every hour you need to leave your computer for at least a few minutes. At this time, you can have a cup of coffee, carry out some work assignment, or go to the printer. Lunch also should not be spent sitting at the computer. Better to get out for a short walk.
Resting the eyes will provide the rule "20-20-20". Every twenty minutes you need to take your eyes off the screen and look at distant objects at a distance of twenty feet (about six meters) for twenty minutes.
While working at the computer, you should try to blink more often to moisturize your eyes.
Special exercises for the eyes
How to save vision while working at a computer? It is useful to do special gymnastics, which will not only preserve vision, but also improve those indicators that are now. Such exercises need to be done in the morning (with natural light) and in the evening (with artificial). The head must be kept straight, moving only with the eyes, and with maximum amplitude. The set of exercises for the eyes is as follows:
- Move your eyes up and down vertically.
- Right and left horizontally.
- Right to left and back diagonally.
- Vertical "eight".
- Horizontal "figure eight".
- A large circle (dial), first you need to stop at each digit, then at six and twelve hours.
Each movement must be repeated eight to ten times. After each movement, you need to give your eyes a rest, often blinking. After gymnastics, you should cover your eyes with your hands and sit for several minutes, this will allow your eyes to relax. You can perform a set of exercises with your eyes closed, so the lens of the eye is also massaged.
Extra moisturizing eyes
In pharmacies, various drops are sold that moisturize the eyes when working at the computer. Moisturizing drops can be picked up independently, without the help of a doctor, if there are no eye diseases. You can buy such funds as “Natural Tear”, “Oftagel”, “Vidisik”, “Systeyn-Ultra” and others. Contact lens fluid is also suitable. When choosing drops, you need to focus on the duration of the positive effect and a sense of comfort. The frequency of instillation can vary from 2-3 times a day or more.
Special glasses
How to save eyesight at a computer? Methods include wearing special glasses for the computer. Such glasses are recommended for people with one hundred percent vision, as well as for patients with myopia or farsightedness who often work at a computer. You can buy glasses for long-term work at the computer in optics.
Contact lens users
Those who wear contact lenses (by the way, there are special “computer” lenses without diopters), you need to take special care of them. Before working with lenses, you should always wash your hands, you cannot sleep in contact lenses, it is undesirable to take a bath or shower, bathe in a pool or natural reservoirs.
Contact lenses should be stored in a container. Before putting the lens into the container, it must be washed with a special solution. For these purposes, do not use water or saliva. In the event that there is no solution, at one time it can be replaced with saline, bought in a pharmacy in an ampoule or prepared at home.
You need to change lenses for new ones as often as prescribed by the ophthalmologist, at least once every three months.
Nutrition for Good Vision
How to save vision when working at a computer? It is necessary to enrich the diet with products that will help prevent dry eyes and protect against diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration. It is important to include vitamins C, A and E, B, zinc, Omega-3, fatty acids, lutein and beta-carotene in your diet. These substances are found in foods such as butter and vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables (especially bright orange or green, such as cabbage, green peas, carrots, tomatoes), berries (especially blueberries), and seafood.
Prevention of visual impairment
The symptoms of a computer syndrome listed above can be signs of not only eye strain, but also various ophthalmic diseases. Then how to save vision when working at a computer? It is necessary to regularly undergo medical examinations (twice a year) in order to detect the disease in time and begin adequate treatment. This is especially important for those who are over forty years old, who have diabetes or a hereditary predisposition to it.
To maintain vision within the normal framework, as a rule, it is enough to follow the recommendations when working at the computer and try not to abuse the equipment, and also lead a healthy lifestyle in general. It is necessary to eat right, give the body feasible physical activity, as soon as possible to abandon bad habits, monitor your health (especially after 40-45 years).