Checking emails on your work phone while having breakfast in the morning. Receiving your first work assignments on your phone on the way to work. Then, in the office, staring at the screen nonstop and using the computer in your free time in the evenings as well. All of this strains the eyes and has a negative impact on vision. Whether you’re a manager or a secretary, an IT expert or an auto mechanic—employees in many professions complain of tired, dry, and irritated eyes.
Our eyes are under strain almost around the clock. Digitalization poses a particular strain. The light emitted by computers affects the retina and the autonomic nervous system. Displays and monitors emit a high proportion of blue light, which, in high concentrations, has an aggressive effect on the retina. Over the long term, blue light can damage the photoreceptor cells that enable sharp vision. What can be done?
Take breaks
For computer users, taking a break from the screen every hour is important. Instead of constantly staring at the screen from the same distance, it’s better to look out the window or focus on individual objects in the room from time to time. To do this, look away from the screen and focus on an object that’s at least six meters away. Hold this focus for at least 20 seconds and repeat once an hour.
At the same time, you can use this break to loosen up your shoulders and neck. After all, when you’ve been concentrating on computer work for a long time, you can quickly become tense and are prone to neck, shoulder, and headaches.
If possible, avoid reading all documents on the screen. Even a “paperless office” benefits from printing out documents occasionally to review them in hard copy. If that’s not possible, at least set the font size on the screen to its original size.
Dry Eyes
One consequence of working at a computer screen is what’s known as “office eye syndrome.” Staring at the monitor reduces the blink rate. Because of this reduced blinking, the eye is not sufficiently moistened by the tear film. The eyes become dry. The syndrome occurs more frequently and severely the longer the daily work time spent in front of a screen and the less often short breaks are taken. The following conditions exacerbate the problems: low humidity, drafts, and inadequately corrected vision problems (such as wearing the wrong prescription). Anyone suffering from dry eyes should consciously blink more often.
Massage the Eye Muscles
This can provide relief from tension: Use the fingertips of your index and middle fingers to massage your eyes in circular motions while your eyelids are closed. Afterward, do not open your eyes right away; instead, use your fingertips to stroke from the bridge of your nose over your eyebrows to your temples. Then, gently tap the skin around your eyes with your thumbs. This exercise revitalizes and promotes concentration.
Create Good Viewing Conditions
To protect your eyes, ergonomics are also key: A sufficiently large screen is important, as is its placement. Your line of sight to the screen should generally be parallel to the window. Ceiling lights must be positioned to the side of your workspace. It’s important to avoid glare, reflections, and mirror effects. Ensure the room is sufficiently lit and create an appropriate contrast between the screen and the surrounding environment. At the same time, the contrast in your near field of vision shouldn’t be too high, so your eyes don’t have to constantly adjust to large differences in brightness.
Natural light is a must
Daylight is good for well-being. That’s why every office should have a source of daylight—even in an open-plan office. Artificial lighting must be balanced and have a neutral light color—as similar to daylight as possible.
Avoid using a computer right before bedtime
Even in their free time, many people sit in front of a screen or use their smartphones. However, anyone who spends time in front of a screen right up until bedtime will have trouble falling asleep. There should be at least one hour between using screens and going to sleep.
