While working at the Computer

Many people who spend hours at the computer every day soon complain of eyestrain, headaches or deteriorating vision. But although computers tend to make you stare and strain for several reasons, you can avoid most of them as follows:

• Instead of working until your eyes hurt, let them wander off the screen every few minutes. Listen to your body and be aware of the first subtle signs of strain. The often recommended 5-minute pause after each hour of work is not enough to reduce the tension. Your aim is to avoid the tension from arising in the first place.

• As you take your eyes off the screen now and then, close them briefly, then look at distant objects like people, pictures on the wall or trees outside the window. Let your eyes edge, scan, trace and change focus.

• Blinking is especially important at the computer, normally about every five seconds. Unless you are facing customers, you can roll your eyeballs now and then, open your eyes wide and squeeze them shut. To keep tension in your jaws from building up, open your mouth all the way, and yawn when you feel like it.

• Practice “dynamic sitting”, shift your posture often to find the right balance. Keep your spine and shoulders flexible and relaxed. Let your head balance on top of the spine, do not learn forward. To avoid stretching your head forward, you may have to change the position of the screen or get a different chair. Do not sit behind your computer for hours in a row. “Office Yoga, Simple Stretches for Busy People” is a little book designed to inspire you to take good care of yourself at the office and throughout the day.

• Position the screen in such a way that you do not stare against a wall when you look up from it. Your eyes need a frequent change of distance focus to function well. They enjoy looking at pleasant things, scenes or views often. Plants or flowers behind the computer create a nice work atmosphere.

• Avoid the glare that is caused by reflections of lights, windows or bright objects on your screen. Thin panel screens produce less glare and they also do not emit harmful radiation. Check for reflections before you turn on the computer, then move lights, furniture or window shades until the glare disappears. If this does not entirely solve the problem, consider investing in a high quality anti-glare screen that fits over your monitor.

• The room should be pleasantly illuminated, so that your bright screen does not stand out against a dark background. The light contrast of the screen itself should be easy on the eye. When you type text into the computer, place the original to the right or left of the screen on the same level, under a spotlight if necessary.

• If your screen is outside of normal reading distance, you may not see it well with your reading glasses. In this case you may want to get another pair of glasses for your computer work.