Tips for People Who Work Behind a Computer

Like many of you, my job is behind a computer for many hours a day. I’ve been blessed with 20/20 vision but it regardless of how great my vision is, I know it’s not healthy for me to be staring at a computer screen all day, everyday. Last year during my optometrist appointment, I talked with my Dr to see what I could do to help relieve the stress I’m putting on my eyes on a daily basis. He had some great ideas that I wanted to pass along to help you get through the long days of staring at a computer screen.

Set a timer and get moving. If you’re like me, you can sit behind a computer for 5 hours without moving. Staring at a computer screen for long lengths of time can cause serious stress on your eyes. If you can’t remember to get up every hour and take a short walk, set a timer on your phone to remind you. You don’t have to walk a mile, but even a short trip to the bathroom will help tremendously.

Look. Blink. Repeat. Have you ever noticed that your eyes get dried out when you are working on the computer? It’s because you aren’t blinking as often as you should be. Get to blinking so your eyes don’t dry out. If you need to, use eye drops to keep your eyes healthy.

Set your computer screen at the correct eye level. Your monitor should be approximately 35 inches away from you with the center of the screen about 5 inches below your eye level. Having your screen at this point will prevent your neck and back from straining and give your eyes the least amount of eye strain.

Purchase a pair of Eyezen glasses. No joke, your life will be changed. I never thought about purchasing glasses since I have 20/20 vision. Eyezen glasses can be worn with or without a prescription and help people like me and you who are always behind a screen.  Did you know that every screen emits blue-violet light? You can help your eyes by reducing the amount that reaches them. Eyezen lenses filter out harmful blue-violet light while allowing good blue light to pass through.

Since I’ve never had to wear glasses before, I was very uncertain about buying a pair. I think most people go through the same thought process about purchasing their first pair of glasses. What was I going to look like? Will they fit properly? Are they going to be comfortable?

I was very excited to learn that they had many different styles and name brands that I could choose from. I chose a super cute pair of Ray Bans that have a solid black frame with a touch of pink on the inside – the perfect pair.

Use the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes take a 20 second break to look at something 20 feet away. This helps your eyes to take away the strain from the screen and allows them to readjust to normal life. If you can’t remember, set a notification on your phone to remember.

What other tips can you add to help you get through a long day of being behind a computer?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Essilor . The opinions and text are all mine.