Most people spend a major part of their day in front of the laptop studying, working, or playing games. That’s why laptop eye strain is a ubiquitous problem. Staring too long at the laptop or computer screen might make your eyes feel dry, fatigued, and irritated because your eyes are constantly focusing and refocusing. The problems might get serious if you already suffer from an eye condition.
Since you cannot stop working on your laptop, here are a few eye strain relief tips to keep in mind.
Never Place Your Laptop Near The Window
The biggest source of eye strain and discomfort is additional light on your laptop screen that creates glare. That’s why you must not place your laptop near the window when you are working. Or, if that’s the only place where you can place a desk, you need to ensure there are blinds and curtains in the window so that the light intensity is controlled.
It would be best if you did not face an unshaded window when you are working on your laptop or computer. The difference in brightness of a laptop screen and the outdoors can result in eye strain.
Invert The Colors On Your Laptop’s Screen
Most websites and services use bright colors so that everything looks inviting and visually appealing. But if you are looking at your screen for a long time, the bright colors might be tough on your eyes. If you must continue browsing websites or working on your laptop, the best solution is to invert colors.
While the original purpose of inverting colors was to help those with impaired vision understand the items on the screen, it is useful in giving your eyes relief from stress because darker colors are used.
So, whenever you are working in the dark or need to give your eyes rest, you can choose to invest the colors on your laptop.
Use A Glare Filter And Adjust The Screen’s Brightness
Using a glare filter over your laptop’s screen is ideal for reducing unwanted light that can cause eye stress. You can also adjust your system’s brightness levels not to be uncomfortable staring at the screen for a prolonged time.
Adjust The Laptop Screen’s Height
To experience maximum eye comfort, you can adjust the height of your laptop screen. Place the laptop at about 5 to 9 inches below the line of sight. Typically, you must be looking over the top of the computer screen so that your eye doesn’t hurt.
Use Proper Lighting Near Your Desk
When it comes to reducing eye strain, you must ensure proper lighting near your desk. If the lighting is too low or too bright, it can strain your eyes. From reducing excessive outdoor light to switching out the overhead fluorescent lights for lamps, you can adjust the lighting so that there are no reflections that can hurt your eye. Also, you need to adjust the light wattage or use a softer filter to relax your eyes.
Adjust Your Glasses Or Wear Computer Glasses
Do you wear glasses? If so, adjust your glasses by talking to your eye specialist and think of getting special lenses or anti-reflective coatings. These can minimize the glare on your laptop’s screen and make your eyes feel comfortable.
If you are not already wearing glasses, you can think of prescription eyewear specifically designed to help you focus when working on complicated things on the screen. Prescription eyewear can also reduce glare and prevent eye strain. But before you wear any glasses, ensure to consult with your eye doctor.
Don’t Forget To Take Frequent Breaks To Rest Your Eyes
Last but not least, you need to keep taking frequent breaks while working so that your eye gets some rest. Typically, pain in the eye, shoulders, or neck and a headache are signs that you are overworking your eyes and need to rest.
It would be best to take frequent breaks of four to five minutes during your entire workday. Such short breaks will work wonders to offer relief from eye strain and reduce discomfort. Furthermore, taking such short breaks throughout the day will help enhance your productivity, and you can focus more on your work.
When you take breaks, remember to stretch and walk around. It will help with your neck or shoulder pain.
The Bottom Line
Don’t blame your eyes when it hurts or you cannot see properly because you’ve been staring at the laptop screen for a long time. Your eyes are doing their best. It is your turn to offer some relief, so your eyes don’t feel stressed and strained. The next time you are working on your laptop or computer, keep the tips mentioned above in mind. These till help you to work without any discomfort.
