12 Ways to Look After Your Eyes at Work

In today’s age, screens at work have become the norm. Day in and day out, most of us are staring at our computers, laptops, phones and tablets for work, but how does this affect our eyes?

Screens can strain our eyesight, causing all sorts of short and long-term eye problems, but luckily there are things we can do to protect our eyes. They are easy to do and turn into habits that help, perfect for incorporating into your daily routine. With these 12 tips on looking after your eyesight in the workplace, whether you work at the office, from home or out and about, your eyes will thank you.

Practise good posture

Sitting up straight can do great things for your eyesight. By adjusting your posture to face your screen head-on, you’ll avoid straining your eyes up or down.

Adjust your monitor

Tying in with number one on our list, making sure your monitor sits at the right height is crucial. The top of your computer or laptop screen should just be in line with your eyes, or just below it.

Make your display settings work for you

Your screen's brightness plays a significant role in maintaining the health of your eyes. Make sure it’s not too bright, but don’t set it so dark that you’re straining to see. Colour is another important element - if you’re struggling with white pages, try selecting a sepia-tone filter to take out the harshness.

Adjust the lighting

Good lighting is a must. If possible, avoid sitting right below fluorescent lighting and angle your screen to avoid glare and reflections. If harsh lighting is unavoidable, make sure to take breaks.

Take regular breaks

Looking away from your screen is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your eyesight. Make time to move your focus away from your screen and around your environment to give your eyes a rest.

The 20-20-20 rule

This is a great rule to practise for maintaining healthy eyesight. 20-20-20 means looking away from your screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds at something 20 feet away. Turn this into a habit and your eyes will stay stronger for longer and reduce the likelihood of headaches and eye conditions.

Exercise your eyes

There are lots of good exercises you can try from your desk or sofa to help your eyesight.

One is to roll them back and forth for a minute. Next, rapidly move them up and down, then left to right. Another exercise to try is slowly blinking for half a second, repeated 20 times.

A good way to reset your vision is to cup your palms gently over your eyes and stare into the darkness for a minute. All of these can help reduce dryness and lessen the strain on your eye muscles.

Use eye drops

A lifesaver for dry and tired eyes, having a bottle of eye drops on hand is a great way to refresh your eyes. Give them a boost of energy and use drops regularly throughout your work day.

Get a good night’s sleep

Sleeping does wonders for not only your eyes but the rest of your body too. Get those forty winks and your eyes will feel fresh and rejuvenated the following day, ready to tackle those screens.

Eat eye-healthy foods

There are lots of foods that contain the vitamins and nutrients needed to improve and maintain healthy eyesight, and they’re all very tasty.

Fish, walnuts, and flaxseed contain great sources of Omega-3s, and chickpeas, yoghurt, and red meat contain zinc. Get vitamins A, C, and E from apricots, carrots, broccoli, kiwis, almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach and other fruit and veg. All these will promote healthier eyesight, so make sure to pack them into your lunch and snacks.

Get an eye test

If your sore eyes persist, or if you’d like to check up on your eye health when working a screen-heavy role, book an eye test. Your optician can tell you if you’re wearing the right glasses or if you should start wearing them full stop. They can also find if any issues are lurking that could be contributing to headaches while staring at your screen.

Wear the right glasses or contact lenses for you

Making sure you’ve got the right lenses is incredibly important. Wearing glasses that don’t have your prescription can cause many issues, so get regular eye examinations to check for changes. Eye strain and long-lasting damage can be a result of the wrong prescription, especially when paired with staring at screens through those wrong lenses.

At Dipple & Conway, your eyes and eyesight are our top priority. Our opticians are here to help with any questions you may have about caring for your eyes at work or home, as well as providing expert service through eye exams and other diagnostic procedures.

If you'd like to pay us a visit, pop into one of our branches based in Norwich, Diss and Swaffham. To learn more about how our opticians can help, give us a call and talk to one of our friendly team or use our simple online form to book yourself an appointment.