Edited by Tanmaya Ramprasad
With the vast majority of classes moving online this year, there’s no question that this transition to digital learning has put considerable strain on our eyes. All that time that was usually spent in lecture halls and classrooms has now been re-allocated to hours upon hours of staring at our devices. Although it may seem that eye strain is inevitable given the circumstances, there are many practical measures you can take to show your eyes some love.
- Take breaks and blink often
-
When we’re ultra-focused on the screen, it can be incredibly easy to forget to blink. This can significantly dry out the eyes and cause severe damage in the long run, especially if it becomes a habit. Periodically, check in with yourself to see if your eyes feel dry, and use a timer to help remind yourself to take breaks. The 20-20-20 rule can be a helpful trick to accomplish this – every 20 minutes, try looking at an object 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.
- Adjust your lighting
-
Proper lighting can make a world of difference when it comes to screen fatigue. The perfect amount of light varies from person to person, but generally, it is recommended to keep your area gently lit and avoid excessively harsh or bright light. Especially during the daytime, make sure to close some of the drapes and blinds in your work area to bring down the lighting to more manageable levels.
- Play around with settings
-
Most current devices will have a blue light filter to lower the amount of emitted blue light, which is a wavelength more closely associated with eye strain than other colours. Take advantage of this setting, and adjust it according to your needs. Another modification you can make to your device is installing an anti-glare screen protector to reduce glare.
- Schedule off-screen time
-
However essential our devices may seem, especially during online university, there is so much more value and importance in the time we spend off-screen, to take care of ourselves and to interact face-to-face and safely with those in our close circle. Resist the urge to go on your phone and truly take some time to give your eyes a break – for example, by taking a walk in the park and staring at greens, not screens.
Taking care of your eyes now will help you avoid a whole slew of vision complications down the road. Good eye health during online university requires a conscious effort but is most definitely feasible.