From blinking more often to avoiding excess light: 5 tips to avoid eye strain at work

Most of our jobs require us to look at the computer screen for long hours, which in turn affects our vision. Eye strain can often lead to a range of problems including eye twitching, sore eyes, fatigue, tiredness and decreased productivity.
According to a study by NCBI, in a questionnaire survey, the prevalence of visual symptoms and eye strain factors in a group of chronic headache sufferers as compared with age- and sex-matched controls were determined. The visual symptoms studied were those not specific for headache, i.e., sensitivity to light and blurred vision. Sensitivity to light in the absence of headache was reported by 27.8% of controls and 44.7% of headache sufferers. The latter figure increased to 71.3% when headache was actually present.
To get rid of eye strain at work, here are 5 tips that you should follow:
* Excessive light is one of the main reasons for eye strain. When using a computer, your ambiance light should be about half as bright as your surrounding light. Avoid too much of exterior light in the workplace. For instance, if sunlight is coming through the window or too much artificial light is falling on the screen, try shifting your computer in a position so as to avoid it.
* Blinking is one of the most underrated yet effective ways to avoid eye strain. It provides a break for the eyes and further keeps the eyes from getting dry. It lubricates the eyes and cleanses off toxins as well.
* Taking a break from your computer every 20 minutes actually helps in reducing eye strain. It helps rehydrate your eyes and also keeps you focused. A one to two-minute break is enough to reduce the risk of eye strain. During this time, you can also relax your eyes.
* Eye exercises help strengthen your eye muscles and keep them from drying. For this, you need to roll your eyes slowly in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. Do five sets each and repeat this a couple of times in the day.
* Adjust your monitor settings to avoid eye strain. The brightness and contrast controls need to be configured properly so that it doesn’t hurt your eyes.