Too much of viewing the world through a computer may not be that good for your own eyes, warn experts after reviewing eye-related complaints that they get these days. Doctors suggested that excessive exposure to the computer monitor affects eyes in many ways.
More and more people are complaining of redness, itching and a feeling of dryness in their eyes due to sitting in front of the computer for long hours, Health news reported. Experts say that these problems largely emerge due to insufficient blinking of the eyes while working at a computer.
The eye blinks about 10-15 times every minute. When sitting in front of the computer, this rate of blinking decreases by about 30 to 40 percent. Blinking of the eye is important to maintain the fluid balance in the eye. At each time that the eye blinks, a layer of fluid is spread evenly on the surface.
Reduction in the supply of this fluid causes the itching and dryness in the eyes. Other symptoms that are commonly experienced include an inability to focus, frequent headaches and irritability. Experts also suggest some ways to alleviate the effects. One must ensure that the lighting in the room is sufficient and the glare of the monitor is reduced. Anti-glare screens may also be used for this purpose.
A person working on the computer must take a break every half an hour and should preferably wash his eyes with cold water during that time. The eyes should also be closed for a minute as soon as any strain is experienced. Artificial tear drops could be used in case there is a problem of eye lubrication. With an increase in the dependency on computers in our everyday lives, routine eye check up becomes more important than ever before.