How to Reduce Eye Strain When Working On The Computer For Long Periods Of Time

Computer monitors are notorious for causing eye strain which leads to headaches, stigmatism and a whole slough of other issues that make it difficult to work for long periods of time on the computer. Depending on the type of computer monitor you own could make a big difference in the frequency of eye strain that you experience. Making minor adjustments or buying the right monitor can reduce if not get rid of the amount of eye strain that you have. Keep reading I’ll show you how.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. LIGHTING
   
   Too much lighting or not enough lighting can cause your eyes to strain. This is because too much lighting causes glare and not enough lighting causes the backlight of the monitor to appear brighter, both lighting sources forces your eyes to constantly readjust to view what is on the monitor. The best way to solve this is to either get an anti glare shield, which is nothing more than a cover that prevents sunlight from reflecting off your monitor screen or choose a light source that provides a close match to the brightness of your monitor.

2. ADJUST YOUR CONRAST AND BRIGHTNESS
   
   I work on the computer all the time and what I’ve noticed is that the brightness on the monitor is often turned up way too much. To keep the images and text clear, I usually reduce the brightness dramatically and increase my contrast settings. This might seem a little funky at first but you will get acclimated quickly and the amount of strain on your eyes will greatly be reduced.

3. CRT OR LCD?
   
   Older monitors commonly referred to as CRT monitors are notorious for being highly reflective and having noticeable flicker or refresh rates. This constant flickering causes your eyes to readjust over and over again. This constant focusing causes major eye strain at a slow and continuous pace. If you have no choice but to use a CRT monitor, buy a anti glare shield and turn up the refresh rate in your monitor settings to the highest possible option.
   
   LCD’s or flat screen monitors are great because most have an anti reflective surface reducing glare however that does not mean long hours looking at the LCD monitor will reduce eye strain. If you own a LCD the best way to reduce eye strain is to follow the advice in step 2.