Now that so many people are working from home, meetings have shifted from in-person to online video calls. And hours and hours spent staring at your screen can strain your eyes, MedicalXpress reports.
Every device emits blue light, and so does the sun. “Blue light is actually important. It’s actually healthy for us; it wakes us up. There are a lot of beneficial properties. But these devices operate heavily on these wavelengths,” said Dr. Robert Steinmetz, an optometrist at Solo Eye Care in Chicago. “The blue light on our devices is much less intense than the sun, but we also aren’t 25 inches away from the sun for eight hours a day.”
Here are some tips to be kind to your eyes:
Abide by the 20-20-20 rule
It’s important to take breaks. “Every 20 minutes on the computer, you need to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds,” said Steinmetz. “And this is shown to help alleviate eye strain and reduce stress on your … system. That’s an important one, especially for kids.”
Use night mode
As it gets later in the day, switching to a device’s night mode can help. “That gives your phone a warmer hue. So it blocks out that blue light and allows for that more comfortable experience,” said Steinmetz.
