Reducing Eyestrain

Having the ability to use your eyes is such a wonderful phenomenon of nature that we often overlook and neglect it.  Take care of your eyes.  They will serve you well.  Below we document some ways to minimize eyestrain and maintain healthy eyes:

Get your eyes checked yearly or every two years.  An ophthalmologist knows both the diseases of the eyes as well as checking your prescription if you wear glasses.  They may be more expensive, but well worth the visit.

Rest your eyes often.  If you seem like you're forgetting, get a kitchen timer, or set a timer on your computer to beep you and remind you to maybe look out the window for a few minutes.  Something green such as the leaves of trees are soothing to the eyes.  We used to live in forests, so the prehistoric eyes of our ancestors are still being used by us.  In that environment, we used to feel soothed when surrounded by green surroundings. Close them sometimes if desired.  Or just look away from your monitor or your book.  Exercise can also help immensely, especially aerobic exercise.  Don't overdo exercise, though, and don't do exercise without first warming up.

Vary your routine.  Perhaps try reading from printed material once in a while to alleviate  strain from the computer monitor.

Use tools.  For users of computer monitors, it likely helps to get an anti-glare screen.  Even though modern computer monitors and those in laptops are supposedly designed to reduce eyestrain, anti-glare screens should still help your eyes even more.  Another aspect is to remember to enlarge the font size if you feel that it is tool small, or read it in double spaced format if you can.

Use correct posture.  When reading a book, it helps to slant the book at about a 20-degree angle.  Prop it higher if you find it's too low.  Same idea with your computer.  Sit up straight, and have the monitor a bit lower than eye level so that you're looking down (try not to slouch, though) at it instead of straining and looking up. 

Humans were not built physiologically for computers, so you must try to adapt and minimize the strain as much as possible.

In summary, to minimize and reduce eye strain:

1. Get your eyes checked.

2. Rest your eyes often.

3. Vary your routine.

4. Use tools.

5. Use correct posture.

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