YOUR EYES ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO NEGLECT

By Steve Gray, A.O.E.S.

How we use our eyes has changed more in the last 20 years than it has in the previous 30,000 years!  We have gone from using our eyes primarily for distance to spending our time only looking 10-25 inches. We all (over 70 million of us) now have computers in the home, office and even in our pockets as cell phones.

7 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR EYES

1. 20/20/20 Rule:  Every 20 minutes take 20 seconds and focus on something 20 ft. away from your monitor.  This works the eye muscles and keeps them from getting stuck in a super-near vision setting.

2. Adjust your computer screen:   Do you know that you can adjust the foreground and background color of your computer monitor?  Make sure the contrast between the screen background and the on-screen characters is high and that the text is a size and color that is comfortable seen.

3. Glare:  Glare can cause eye fatigue and headaches. And besides that, it is painful! We all know the harsh reality of glare. If you can see your reflection in your monitor, trust me…your monitor has glare!  Use a glare screen and tilt your monitor away from the light source  

4. Dry eyes:  Here’s the secret!!! BLINK!  People using computers blink less often so their eyes are not lubricated and thus, they’re not being protected.  It’s very simple…just blink more often.

5. Take a Break: Move away from the monitor.  Even if it is just for a few seconds, those precious seconds can make a big difference.
6. Eye protection:   Most of us think eye protection means those large goggles you wear when you go into a production area but eye protection in the computer arena does not mean big ugly goggles, these days it can mean very light, comfortable, and stylish eyewear that looks good and feels good on your eyes. Prescription Computer glasses are highly recommended.  Talk to an optometrist, they will help you protect your eyes

7. Monitor placement: Where you place your monitor makes a huge difference.  Position your monitor approximately arms-length directly in front and in alignment with your keyboard.  You should be able to view your entire monitor without flexing or bending or twisting your neck.  

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Did you know that even one hour’s change can disrupt sleep patterns that can persist for up to five days after each time shift? There is also a huge spike in traffic accidents the first week that is attributed to the sudden decrease of the amount of light during driving times.

What’s the connection to ergonomics? This change in sleep patterns also has a significant effect on work efficiency and work place safety. Whether the clock is leaping forward or falling back, body clocks are thrown off and productivity inevitably falls in the days following a switch. Additionally and unfortunately, the rate of workplace injury occurrences also increases. OK, people…Be careful out there!

Daylight savings time is supposed to save energy. Is it really worth it? What are your thoughts?