Preventing Eye Strain Caused By Digital Devices

We depend on electronic devices for almost everything. But staring into them for hours every day can cause short-term eye damage.

It would be safe to say that most of us spend hours glued to our computers. We hover over our cell phones, Blackberrys, iPhones and iPods, squinting at tiny screens. And for some, it's taking a toll on their eyes.

Some quick tips to keep eye strain at bay:



1. Blink often: When looking at a computer or hand-held digital device, it''s common for you to blink two to three times less than you normally would.

This can lead to "dry eye." Blinking bathes your eyes in tears, and tears are naturally therapeutic for the eyes.

2. The 20/20/20 rule: When spending long periods in front of a digital device, every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away to allow your eyes to rest.

3. Ensure proper lighting: To help ease the strain on your eyes, keep bright lighting overhead to a minimum and position your desk lamp to shine on your desk, and not at you. Position your computer screen in a way that reduces reflections and glare from windows or overhead lights.

4. Location of computer screen: Optimally, the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees below eye level (about 4 or 5 inches) as measured from the centre of the screen and 20 to 28 inches from the eyes.