With the pandemic increasing our daily screen time due to extended periods of staying indoors, proper eye care to prevent myopia and eye disorders has become even more important than ever.
Myopia is more than just wearing spectacles or substituting them for content lenses. High myopia, in particular, increases one’s risk of developing other eye disorders such as early cataracts and glaucoma that can come with complications that are sight-threatening.
Did you know? According to the Ministry of Health, 80 to 90 per cent of Singaporean adults above 18 will be myopic by 2050.
In commemoration of World Sight Day on October 14, here are five tips on how to maintain good eye health while working from home, as advised by experts from Signify.
1. Use correct light bulbs
We may not be paying enough attention to the type of lights used at home and at work. Exposure to harsh fluorescent lights can cause eye strain and harm our vision. A simple solution is to replace your fluorescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs as they do not flicker and also consume less energy.
It is also recommended to choose bulbs which do not have harmful levels of blue, ultraviolet, or infrared light. LED bulbs which have a dimmable feature provide a simple way to adjust the light intensity but do choose quality LED lights that dim smoothly. This is because poor dimming can result in flickering or noise.
2. Know When To Rest
Taking a short break every 30 minutes when you are working allows your eyes to rest. With just a quick break for your eyes by looking out of the window at the greenery or if you have more time, go for a walk to rest your eyes.
Avoid any screens or reading during this period to ensure optimal rest for your eyes. Possible 30-minute break activities include:
- Yoga/stretching
- People/nature watching
- Short nap
- Applying a warm eye mask
3. Bring Nature Indoors
Natural light has been proven to reduce stress while improving cognitive function, creativity, and well-being. This has made it a key component of biophilic design – the concept of bringing nature indoors by including nature in interior design.
To bring more natural light into your home, you could choose to have large windows or use lighting to mimic natural light in your home to create a healthy, engaging, and inspiring environment.
4. Improve Ergonomics
Proper posture and positioning from your computer monitor or work material can impact your eye care as well. By sitting with proper posture and positioning your computer monitor or work material at the right height and distance, you can reduce eye strain and enjoy other benefits.
The ideal sitting position at a desk is to:
- Position your monitor at least 51cm away from your eyes, with the top of the screen slightly below eye level.
- Maintain the distance between your eyes and your screen with a 10 to 20 degrees back tilt with your eyes slightly looking downwards to the middle of the screen.
Avoid using lights above your monitor and opt for soft ambient lighting instead.
5. Pick the Right Light for Each Task
Choosing the correct light to suit the task or situation is another way to reduce strain on your eyes. Lighting technologies have come a long way and with smart lighting, you can customise your lighting to create the ideal lighting conditions. For example:
- While a cold white light can encourage focus and help to get tasks done, it can also be very harsh on the eyes. A yellowish-white light will be more suitable for daily use.
- Yellow lights provide a warm cozy feeling that is comfortable for your eyes. This is ideal for tasks such as leisure reading and relaxing.
- Natural light is the light from outside your windows. By keeping your blinds open, you can stimulate Vitamin D and serotonin production which improves your mood, your bones, and eye health and vision.
Know a friend who’s working from home and would find these tips helpful? Spread the love and share this post with them!
📸 Featured Image: Pexels
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