Eye strain is a common condition that occurs when your eyes become tired, and this fatigue can result from staring at screens for extended periods or driving long distances. The eye strain associated with sitting behind a screen is known as digital eye strain, and unlike age-related eye conditions, digital eye strain can also affect children.
Professor Dawn Sim, an eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, offers five tips on how to prevent eye strain, which affects over 50% of people, according to the British newspaper Express.
**Conscious Blinking**
Most of us blink less when we focus or stare at a screen, and if you blink less, the protective tear film evaporates, drying your eyes. Dawn recommends conscious blinking and keeping your eyes closed for half a second before reopening them. Repeating this 20 times should make the eyes "fresher" and more hydrated.
**Eye Rolling**
To target eye strain, Dawn suggests, "Sit up straight, and without moving your head, slowly and deliberately roll your eyes in a clockwise direction, starting from the left, then up, then right, and finally looking down. Repeat this 10 times, then reverse the direction."
**20-20-20 Rule**
This rule describes the time and distance for the exercise, which relies on looking away from your computer every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds—this will help reduce strain and fatigue.
**Palm Exercise**
Gently place your palms over your eyes without applying pressure, allowing your fingertips to overlap, and try to block out any light while breathing deeply for about a minute. This practice is "good" for the eyes as it also helps with relaxation.
**Peripheral Vision Exercise**
This exercise requires a screen or an image in front of you. Without closing your eyes from it, try to identify and touch everything around you (a cup of water, a notebook, etc.). "After that, engage with the screen without neglecting the things in your peripheral vision."
