Computer screens and healthy eyes

Blink. And take frequent breaks. And remember what your parents said: “Don’t sit so close!”

Blinking is important.

Normally we blink about 20 times per minute. If we’re reading, we only blink about 15 times. When staring at a digital display this number reduces to only 8 times a minute.

So in a nutshell: Computer screens = Less blinking = Dryer eyes that are prone to strain and fatigue.

The 20/20/20 Rule

Fight digital eye strain with this simple tip:

Every 20 minutes, look out 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This reminds us to blink and relaxes the muscles in the eye used for reading up close.

The Blue-Light Problem

Decreased blinking isn’t the only problem. Digital devices like computers, tablets and phones are constant sources of high-energy blue light (the part of the spectrum of light that doesn’t necessarily damage your eyes, but causes strain and fatigue in high amounts).

Click here to learn more about blue light emitted from electronics and blue-filtering lenses.