Friday, October 5, 2012

SCREENS, PHONES, TABLETS AND MORE: reducing digital eye strain.

Few tips from the recent report by the Vision Council:

ADJUST EXTERNAL FACTORS
• Reduce glare. Adjust the brightness of your screen by checking the control settings on your digital
device. Consider changing your background color from bright white to a cooler gray. Glare reduction
filters are also available and can easily attach to computer screens.

• Clean your screen. Frequently dust and wipe digital screens to help reduce glare.

• Dim your surrounding lighting. Lessen the amount of overhead and surrounding light that is competing with your device’s screen. Dim inside lights and try to avoid outside areas of intense brightness. This can help to reduce glare and strain.

• Keep your distance. Position your device so there is sufficient distance between your eyes and the screen.  For computers, try sitting in your chair and extending your arm. Your palm should be able to rest comfortably on the monitor (as if you’re high-fiving the screen).  For hand-held devices, try to keep the device a safe distance from your eyes and hold it just below eye level.

• Adjust your screen. Digital screens should always be directly in front of your face and slightly below eye level. Do not tilt a computer monitor.

• Increase text size. Bump up text size to help better define the content on your screen. Use the settings control to make adjustments that feel comfortable to your eyes.

REMEMBER THE INTERNAL FACTORS:
• Blink more often. Starring at a digital screen can affect the amount of times you blink, causing eyes to dry. Remind yourself to blink more often, which will also help to refocus your eyes.

• Take a 20-20-20 break. Even short breaks can make a huge difference. Every 20 minutes, take a
20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

For a full report visit http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/consumers//media/VCDigitalEyeStrainReport2012FINAL.pdf