How to maintain eye health in the office

Staring at a computer all day can take a toll on the eyes and chances are you’re on a computer a fair bit, so I thought I’d share these helpful tips my optometrist gave me on dealing with the eyestrain that accompanies office work.

• Take eye breaks. Be sure to look away from your screen every 15 minutes — if not more. Look at something close up (check out your cuticles) and something far away, to help exercise your depth perception. It’s especially smart to look out a window when searching to focus your eyes on something in the distance.

• Remember to blink! When staring at a computer screen we tend to blink about five times less than usual. Blinking might seem like an unimportant activity, but it lubricates eyes so they
work smoothly.

• Eye-exercise. Eye exercises look silly, but they help. A private place to do them is in the bathroom; take a minute to do eye circles, diagonals and long blinks. Yep, you can alleviate some eyestrain by working out your baby blues. Unfortunately, these moves don’t count as strength training.

I hope your eyes don’t feel too strained because I have plenty more tips, so continue reading.

• Keep eye drops handy. Especially in the winter when the heaters are going, eyes are prone to drying out. You should do drops a few times a day.

• Adjust your workstation so the words you are reading are at eye level — you shouldn’t have to look up or down to see your screen. The screen should be about an arm’s length away. Your back should lay flat against the back of your chair. Sitting well will also help prevent neck strain.

• Take real breaks. Go outside. Breathe fresh air. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while for a quick catch-up. Get your blood flowing. These short activities are great for your body and mind, in addition to your eyes.

• Eating a well balanced diet can help your eyes, too. Include eggs, carrots and kale and yummy avocados. All these foods are high in nutrients, like lutein, which is great for your eyes.

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you drink coffee in the morning. Caffeine dries out the eyeballs.

• As for home laptop use, try to create a workspace with a desk and the positions mentioned above. It’s nice to sit on a couch and take a good break, but don’t do it for over an hour (it can cause neck strain). Make sure you’re not working in the dark.