Have you been working from home for the past year and a half or so? You’re not the only one.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world as we know it, altering the business landscape in a way that nobody anticipated. To stem the tide of COVID-19, companies across the globe started most, if not, all of their employees to work from home. The remote-working trend didn’t start and end with just people who worked for companies. Entrepreneurs also spent more time managing their businesses from home. As a result, millions of people worldwide have been working from home since 2020.
Working from home has many benefits. The main advantage of working from the safety and comfort of your home is that you significantly lessen your risk of contracting COVID-19.
The downside of working from home is that you are more prone to experiencing eye strain from being in front of your computer for hours on end. This is called digital eye strain, computer eye strain, or computer vision syndrome. Office workers also get digital eye strain, but working from home often makes it worse because you are exposed to more devices such as your TV, your tablet, and your smartphone.
The good news is that digital eye strain is easily treatable and even preventable. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, CEO, or young professional, here are three surefire ways to take care of your eyes while working from home.
1. Set up your workspace to be more eye-friendly
When working from home, it’s crucial that you have a conducive and eye-friendly workspace. Follow these tips to create a workspace that your eyes will thank you for.
- Adjust your screen settings
Calibrate the screen of your desktop or laptop so that it has just the right level of brightness. While the right brightness depends from person to person, generally speaking, your screen should just be bright enough to enable you to make out every detail without you having to place your eyes too close to the screen. Avoid making your screen too bright that it looks like a light source from far away, as this is what can lead to eye strain down the line.
- Adjust your monitor’s position
To prevent eye strain, your monitor should be 20 to 30 inches away from your face. You should also consider the height of the monitor. The top edge of the monitor should be at eye level. Having the monitor at this height allows you to see everything on your screen without having to excessively tilt your head up or down, which can lead to neck strain and headaches.
- Use proper lighting
If your workspace has multiple light sources, avoid turning them all on, especially in the daytime. If possible, position your desk near or in front of a window so that you get plenty of natural light when working during the day.
When working at night, keep only one light on. This should be the light that is behind you and your computer so that you don’t expose your eyes directly to the light. If you have a desk lamp, you can just use that and place it at the far end of your desk behind your computer so that the light isn’t shining directly into your face.
2. Rest your eyes
Rest your eyes. It sounds simple, right? However, resting your eyes is easier said than done when you are focused on your work because you have deadlines to meet and targets to hit. You have to make a conscious effort to rest your eyes.
The best way to rest your eyes when working from home is to follow the 20-20-20 rule, which is very simple. Every 20 minutes, you take a break from your computer and focus your eyes on an object that is at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Changing your viewing distances relaxes your eye muscles, which prevents eye strain.
3. Pay attention to your nutrition
You may not realize it, but the food you eat plays a big role in the health of your eyes. As such, you need to eat the right foods to keep your eyes healthy.
Eat whole foods that are high in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as foods that are rich in nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc. All these nutrients are beneficial to your eyes.
Foods high in vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale. Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons and red fruits like tomatoes and strawberries. Foods that contain vitamin E include pine nuts, peanuts, almonds, and legumes. To get lutein and zeaxanthin into your diet, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables. Last but not least, you can find zinc in legumes such as lentils, all kinds of beans, and chickpeas.
Conclusion
Working from home doesn’t mean suffering from eye strain. Follow the advice outlined in this post and you’ll soon feel a significant difference in your eyes. However, if symptoms of your eye strain persist despite your best efforts to prevent them, please don’t hesitate to consult your doctor.
Author bio
Jericho Gonzales is a Content Marketing Specialist at Lens.com. Writing is his passion, and he specializes in tech-based and consumer product-based writing. His other passions lie in the worlds of fantasy and science fiction. When he isn't busy with wordcraft, he loves to immerse himself in those worlds through novels, video games, TV shows, or movies.