Did you know that our eye muscles are the most active muscles in our bodies? Our eyes have over 2 million working parts and the ability to process 36,000 bits of information every hour. However, we often take our ability to see for granted. We all know what it’s like to be staring at our small metal rectangles day in and day out. Personally, I am guilty of that which is why I often stay up late scrolling mindlessly through Twitter at 1 AM.
Below are some ways to make up for consistently staring at screens emitting harsh lights. Here are my top tips for eye care as a student constantly around technology:
Use blue light filters
Contrary to popular belief, blue light isn’t all that bad. But as students we are exposed to too much artificial light, most of it being blue. This causes a whole host of problems like Digital Eye Strain (DES) and an irregular sleep cycle. Because of this, blue light blocking glasses have increased in popularity. They have filters in their lenses that block or absorb blue light, and in some cases UV light, from getting through. You can also get blue light blocking lenses for your prescription glasses. For those of you who use your devices constantly, there are available filters for smartphones, tablets, hand phones, you name it.
Take a five minute vision break every hour
This is a no brainer yet it’s overlooked by many people. We may not feel the effects of our habits now, but in 30 years time, our eyes will suffer. Doctors recommend taking a vision break by looking at nature or greenery. Another pro tip would be to massage your eyes, you’d be surprised at how refreshing it can be. Start with massaging your temples and then work your way to the bridge of your nose in circular motions. This can relieve the pressure and strain on your eyes. Develop a routine on what you want to do during your break and stick with it!
Small habits go a long way
When I was a child my mother and optometrist would give me small reminders on how to protect your eyes. For example, make sure there’s enough light when you’re reading, choose texts that are not too small, and sit a good distance away from the TV. These types of habits are applicable to us now! It is also recommended to set your phone to night shift mode. This will give your screen a red tint to remove the blue light spectrum over the interface. Those with myopia should take extra care for example, incorporating the 20-20-20 rule during vision breaks: every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This makes it easy for you to care for your eyes.
Eye care is so important and we need to remember that we may not think about it too much right now but being proactive will help us so much in the future. Try out these methods yourself and incorporate them into your daily tech routine until it becomes natural. I hope you found these tips helpful!
Image Credit: 1 (Marina Vitale), 2 (John Adams), 3 (Taelynn Christopher), 4 (Victoria Heath)
Information Sources:
https://www.sharecare.com/health/eye-vision-health/why-are-eyes-powerful
https://www.allaboutvision.com/en-in/digital-devices/blue-light/
https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/content/digital-eye-strain