As the world is going digital with each passing day, majority of businesses and careers have moved to a daily lifestyle of spending long hours in front of digital devices such as smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, and tablets. Students are not left out of this modern lifestyle. They attend classes online, and this makes them sit for hours in front of the computer screens, which is a danger to vision because the UV light will make your eyes become tired, dry, and itchy, which with time, will permanently damage your eyes and leave you’re with the discomfort for the rest of your life. Healthy eyesight can be maintained despite prolonged hours of online classes in front of a computer screen with the following eye care measures. Read on to find out how to take care of your eyes during online classes.
Make use of laptops and tablets
Mobile phones create more strain on your eyes because the texts are usually smaller and quite difficult to read. This will prompt you to take your phone close to your eyes when in use and this isn’t healthy for your eyesight. On the other hand, laptops and tablets won’t put your eyes at such a risk because the screens are bigger, which ultimately makes text bigger and much easier to look at
Always adjust screen brightness
Computer monitors are built with a feature that enables you to increase and decrease screen brightness as you please. This is very tempting because you might sometimes be compelled to make your screen extremely bright when in use and this can result in eye strain and headaches. You should lower your screen brightness to keep your eyes in good shape.
Ensure you have proper lighting in your environment
Let your room be adequately lit and ensure that its brightness is equal to your computer screen. Preferably, make use of incandescent lighting and do away with high-intensity lamps. Poorly lit and extremely lit rooms can negatively affect your eyes.
Wear Computer Protective Glasses
Wear a pair of computer protective glasses to prevent blue light from damaging your eyes. These are especially useful if you switch most of the time between different digital screens. And the good thing is you can get blue light glasses without a prescription. This can also be worn over your contact lenses or prescription glasses.
Stick to the 20-20-20 Rule
This rule requires that for every 20 minutes spent in front of a screen, look at an object that is 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. Being exact isn’t the key. This is more or less like taking a break from your computer screen to rest your eyes which is absolutely necessary.
Increase your monitor zoom to 150% or higher
Also, when typing an assignment or project work, increase the font size when typing and then readjust it to the standard size when you have completed your work. This will make your typing and editing have a minimal strain on your eyes.
Keep your monitor properly positioned
The way your laptop screen and desktop monitor are positioned can either harm your eyes or keep them healthy. It is therefore recommended that they should be positioned at a proper distance away from your eyes. Your computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees below eye level (approximately 4 or 5 inches from the center of the screen) and 20 to 28 inches away from your eyes.
When you consistently keep to these eye care tips during your online classes, you won’t have trouble with your eyesight, and you will ultimately enjoy a healthy vision.
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Dr. Jeme Adomi is a Clinical Optometrist with over 12 years of working experience in the private and public eye care sector. She obtained her Doctor of Optometry from the University of Benin and a Masters in International Public Health from the University of Liverpool. She is also a Low Vision specialist and heads the Optics department of one of the major eye hospitals in Lagos state. She has a passion for public health education with an emphasis on eye care and wants to bring about a change in health care service delivery in Nigeria
