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appalachiablue

(43,441 posts)
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:13 PM Feb 3

💻 Computer Screen Fatigue - Tips for Relief, Eye Strain, Blurry Vision, Dry Eyes, Headaches, Vertigo

'Screen breaks and the right desk setup offer relief from work-related eye strain,' AP News, Jan. 23, 2025.
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New York (AP) — The trouble started every day at around 3 p.m., after Cathy Higgins had spent five or six hours staring at an array of computer screens at her desk. Her university job overseeing research projects involved peering closely at numbers and details on contracts, applications and budgets.“My vision was so blurry, I couldn’t even see what was on the screen, and I was squinting so much that I could not function,” Higgins said. When her eyesight got bad, Higgins walked around and spoke with members of her staff. She began planning in-person meetings for afternoons.

But she would resume the computer work late at night after her children went to bed. “If I had to continue working through the blurry vision, that’s when the migraines would happen,” Higgins said. Digital screens are pervasive, not only at work but in our homes, schools and shops. An estimated 104 million Americans of working age spend more than seven hours a day in front of screens, according to the American Optometric Association.

All that screen time can take a toll. Too much exposure to screens can lead to dry or watery eyes, fuzzy vision and headaches. It can also lead to myopia, or nearsightedness, in some people, especially children. Some technology workers even describe short bouts of vertigo when they look at screens for too long. Overworked eyes. One reason for the discomfort is that staring closely at screens for prolonged periods causes the muscle that helps eye focus to tighten up.

“That muscle’s not supposed to stay tight all day long. And if it does, it’s like picking up a light weight and trying to hold it over your head for hours,” American Optometric Association President Steven Reed said. “It’s not hard to pick it up. But after a while, even though it’s not a heavy lift, your body just gets tired.” Fortunately, exposure to blue light from computer screens and devices has not been shown to cause permanent eye damage, according to the American Academy of Opthalmology... More,

https://apnews.com/article/computer-screens-eye-health-e0c99719204526ed5f08423f1b15f557

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bucolic_frolic

(48,951 posts)
1. Lots of remedies, some related to cardiovascular
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 03:18 PM
Feb 3

Last edited Tue Feb 4, 2025, 08:42 PM - Edit history (1)

Sardines, Keto diet, and

https://www.whitescreen.online/red-screen/

3 minutes, 3x 7am-12noon, 2x 6:30pm to bedtime.

They actually recommend InfraRed lamps, but red is red, isn't it?
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On edit, these ideas came from these videos, which are a bit long and reveal the goodies list near the end:



mitch96

(14,975 posts)
3. My ophthalmologist diagnosed me with dry eye "syndrome" A heating pad (cvs/wallgreens) to they eyes
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 05:28 PM
Feb 3

2x/day. Not too hot. I microwave it at 23 seconds seems to work for me..
Non preservative OTC eye drops and vary distance once or twice a day. Put your hand out at arms length, Look at your fingers, then look far away and repeat. Near, close, near close...
I'd say its about 90% effective on most days. I do all of it and I'm ok with it..
Did you ever notice everything is a "syndrome" now a days? Oh yes it also has to have a acronym...
dry eye "syndrome"? =DES...Irritable bowel syndrome? = IBS....uff
m

appalachiablue

(43,441 posts)
4. Good suggestions, thanks. The close up, then distance eye exercises
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 05:38 PM
Feb 3

and lubricating drops have been helpful for dry eyes and strain. I haven't tried a heating pad yet, will keep it in mind. Agree there are lots of 'syndromes' lately.

mitch96

(14,975 posts)
5. Of course I went down the dry eye rabbit hole. It turns out there are oil ducts in the eye lid that lubricate
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 05:43 PM
Feb 3

and prevent the tears from evaporating. The heated eye pad (about $20) open up the ducts..
When you wake up in the morning feel around your eyelashes. If you feel a slippery substance, that's the oil being released.
m

appalachiablue

(43,441 posts)
6. I hear you about eye moisture. Ages ago when wearing contact lenses it was drops, punctal plugs
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 06:05 PM
Feb 3

and an antibiotic for dry eyes and rosacea of the eyelid. Then no issues for ages until dry eyes reappeared a few years ago. Crazy stuff, maybe from lots of computer screen use, stress about Covid and more.

I find that a hot, damp compress on the eyes helps fairly well for several hours or more.

Thanks again for your input.

mitch96

(14,975 posts)
7. "I "I find that a hot, damp compress on the eyes helps" Well, duh.. why didn't I think of that...No need to spend $
Mon Feb 3, 2025, 06:56 PM
Feb 3
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