One reality of living during the COVID pandemic is that many of us have had to increase the amount of time we spend looking at screens. Concussed or not, these are a few tips that may be helpful in reducing eye strain and stress.
Download f.lux on Computer f.lux automatically controls the color of the light on your computer based on the time of day. For those sensitive to screens, f.lux also provides various options for eye strain and allows you to adjust colors manually. Set Phone to Grayscale Studies have correlated color with increased attention and setting your phone to grayscale may not only make your phone a little less addictive, but it also decreases eye strain. iPhone: Settings -- Accessibility -- Display + Text Size -- Color Filters -- Grayscale To toggle between color and greyscale: Settings -- General -- Accessibility -- Accessibility Shortcut -- Color Filters (press home button 3 times to enable grayscale) Blue Light Glasses Filter out blue light from screens. A few options with various price ranges include Spektrum Glasses, Warby Parker, Occffy Eyewear, SOJOS Vision, J and S Vision. Computer Privacy Screen Privacy screens are thin pieces of plastic that can be placed over your monitor and have been proven effective in diminishing glare from computers. Lift Devices to Eye-Height Headaches, neck pain, and backaches are common symptoms when working on the computer. A simple fix may be to pile a few books underneath your monitor so that it aligns horizontally with your eyes. If working on a laptop, a separate keyboard may be the trick to a comfortable workspace. Schedule Screen Time Depending on what your body needs, schedule your screen time with consistent breaks. Work for 15 minutes, take 5 minutes off. Work for 45 minutes, take 15 minutes off. Find a consistency that works best for you and your brain. Screen-Free Breaks When taking breaks from work time, it is a habit for many of us to turn to our phones or computers for personal time. Instead, develop a screen-free break routine: go for a walk, rest your eyes, do the dishes, draw, meditate. As with all suggestions, find what works best for you and brings added joy to your life. Consider Print & Audio Options When Available If printing or listening to readings is available to you, take advantage of those opportunities. If they are not available options for you, please reach out and I will do my best to help you acquire them.