3 Easy Ways To Prevent Eye Strain

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Do you spend most of your day looking at a computer screen? Most office workers work at a computer, and many of us spend on non-working hours looking at other screens – television, tablet, e-Reader, phone, etc.
If this is you, you are probably familiar with that tired feeling in your eyes, that dryness that can turn into red blood-shot eyes. Those times when your eyes start to sting and you just want to close them. You may experience headaches, blurred vision, or even double vision.
Your job may require you to be in front of a computer screen, but there are some easy ways to prevent eye strain no matter how long you need to look at a monitor.
1. Look away from the screen every 15 minutes. Resting your eyes for even a few seconds every 15 minutes can have a significant impact on eye strain. Eye strain is caused by overuse of a muscle in your eyeball. Think of carrying a heavy box – putting it down for even a short time can make the difference in your ability to pick it back up and carry it further. To help you remember, have a timer go off every 15 minutes.
2. Look at something far away. Human eyes developed over millennia to see things close to us as well as far away. Think of the cave man who had to look into the distance to hunt for food, and then look a closely to cook and eat the animal. Our eyes are not created to look at short distances for a long time. Take some breaks from your computer and look as far into the distance as you can – out a window is best. Try to look at the horizon or try to see some detail in the farthest thing you can see. Notice how different your eyes feel when you are looking far.
3. Practice palming: Palming is a way to create absolute darkness to give your eyes a break from all light sources. It allows your eye muscles to relax completely. Here is it’s done:

  1. Close your eyes
  2. Cover eyes with cupped palms
  3. Try to block out all the light
  4. Avoid pressure on the sockets
  5. Breathe slowly and evenly
  6. Relax and imagine deep blackness
  7. Do this for 1-10 minutes