There are things that you can only perceive through your eyes: colors, shapes, brightness, etc. This compendium of beautiful things, only accessible through sight, are one of the first approximations of the human being to reality. But, just as the eyes are important, they are also very delicate, they tire very easily, due to factors such as excess light, lack of water or external dirt.
Help your eyes stay healthy with these 5 tips from expert ophthalmologists to prevent eyestrain .
5 tips from ophthalmologists to prevent eyestrain
1. Blink more
How many times have you thought about the number of times you blink per minute? It is certainly not a common reflection, but that does not make it any less necessary.
In everyday life, while playing with your dog or making dinner, you can blink between 15 and 20 times per minute. This prevents your eyes from drying out . However, when we focus intently on something – like a computer or cell phone screen – we only blink 10 or 12 times, limiting the lubrication of our sensing organ.
Consequences? They go beyond a simple headache. Every time you blink, you not only clean the surface of your eyes of dust and other microscopic agents, but you also lubricate the surface of your cornea , allowing it to recover from the incidence of the sun on it.
2. Keep your eyes hydrated with artificial tears
Well, I can’t stop using my cell phone or my computer, I can’t remember to blink, what do I do? Although not as effective as blinking, artificial tears or eye drops can also help keep your eyes refreshed throughout the day.
This is an especially good option for those who live in dry places or spend a lot of time in places like that. One or two drops in each eye will be more than enough.
3. Apply the 20-20-20 rule
Ophthalmologists from all over the world assure that, to give our eyes a rest while we are in the middle of the day, it is advisable to apply the so-called “20-20-20 Rule”.
The concept is quite simple: for every 20 minutes of intense eye drying, you should stop and focus on looking for 20 seconds at something that is at least 20 feet away. This will allow your eyes to rest for a while and blink normally.
4. Set your screen brightness
Has your eyelid ever twitched repeatedly? When that happens, it means that your eye strain is too high. This usually happens due to overexposure to brightness .
Do not start crying, you do not have to stop reading on your tablet or put aside your work at work. The solution is much simpler: adjust the brightness of your device’s screen to the light of the space you are in.
5. If the problem is serious, visit your doctor
If your vision problems are too frequent, be it blurry vision, redness, discharge or sensitivity, don’t underestimate them. It may be more than eyestrain . In that case, the first thing you should do is contact an ophthalmology professional for a check-up.
In most cases of ophthalmological diseases, detecting them early facilitates their intervention and treatment. A health professional is more effective than a simple pair of glasses that you bought in a department store.
References
- Loria, K. The easiest ways to prevent the eyestrain caused by staring at screens, according to ophthalmologists. For Businessinsider. [Revised February 2017].
