Eye health problems are a common modern condition among today’s younger generations. And, what’s even more concerning is that, at the way things are now, this problem is only expected to get worse in the near future.
Data shows that 88% of Americans are aware of the fact that digital devices have a negative effect on their vision. However, the average American still spends less than seven hours every day looking at their device’s screens, be it a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Moreover, the most susceptible groups to eye troubles are represented by office-working employees and college students. Both groups spend so much time in front of the computer and other devices that, over time, they start experiencing vision problems.
As for college students, this problem is yet even worse because apart from reading textbooks and writing papers, they also spend a lot of time on social media, playing online games, and watching TV or movies. In fact, data shows that the average millennial spends at least nine hours every day looking at devices such as smartphones, tablets, and flat-screen TV’s.
Unfortunately, vision problems can develop without any obvious signs or symptoms and they generally start to be experienced by students after young adult years. So, protection is the best treatment when you are still in college. Here are 4 ways in which you can protect your eyes to prevent future eye problems:
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/aVvZJC0ynBQ
- Set up the brightness and lighting properly
In today’s modern era, when technology is everywhere, including classrooms, it is impossible to try to avoid the blue light from devices screens. Especially when, as a modern college student, you most likely take notes, do your homework, and study on your computer or tablet.
However, you can reduce the negative effects of blue light by setting up your devices properly and learning how to use them without them negatively affect your eye’s health. For example, you can install software on your computer that can save your eyes by making your display’s brightness adapt to the time of the day to match your indoor lighting. Also, when you are writing your homework or studying on your computer, you can make the font size larger to avoid straining.
Another important aspect to protect your eyes while studying is to make sure you install good lighting. Medical specialists recommend students to use natural light as much as possible for reading or studying. So, if your schedule allows you to, you should take your books and laptop outside and study at natural light.
However, when natural light isn’t available and you need to rely on artificial solutions, the key to healthy eyes is to choose a color temperature that is as similar as possible to natural light. So, choose a temperature lamp that is closer to the cool scale of white to bluish-white.
- Wear blue-light protective glasses
Prevention is the best treatment for all types of health conditions, including vision problems. So, a pair of blue-light protective glasses might be a great solution for protecting your eyes as a student.
Like it or not, prolonged exposure to your devices’ screens can have a major impact on your eyes’ health. In fact, medical specialists explain that spending too much time in front of the computer or your other devices can lead to retinal photodamage.
Luckily, today, you can find glasses that are designed with lenses capable of filtering out LED blue light. By filtering LED blue light, these glasses protect eye cells from deteriorating or breaking down due to prolonged LED exposure.
- Take frequent breaks
Remember those nights before the exam when you study for hours in front of the computer and often deal with a major headache the next morning? That’s because you forget how important it is to take frequent breaks to allow your mind to relax and your eyes to recover. And, you forget that your health should be your top priority.
So, only a specialist can determine whether you have an underlying vision issue that needs to be treated right away. If you are required to wear contact lenses, a popular choice are the dailies aqua multifocal contacts. Instead, when you are feeling tired and need a break to protect your eyes and mind, you can, for example, look for the best academic writing service and get your homework done without overloading yourself.
Frequent breaks from studying aren’t important just for your brain but also for your eyes. Next time you are studying, you should know the 20-20-20 rule. What is the 20-20-20 rule? It is a recommended strategy to protect your eyes when studying or working on the computer for long hours.
How does it work? For every 20 minutes spent looking at the screen when studying, you should take your eyes off of the screen and look at something else that is at least 20 feet away from you, for at least 20 seconds.
Another good strategy to protect your eyes is to take frequent breaks in which you blink repeatedly for a few seconds or massage your eyes. This will help your eyes muscles relax and keep your eyes moist and refreshed.
- Have an annual eye exam
Having regular eye exams plays a major role in keeping your eyes’ health at top and prevent any vision problems early ahead. As mentioned before, vision problems usually develop without any obvious signs or symptoms. So, only a specialist can determine whether you have an underlying vision issue that needs to be treated right away.
You shouldn’t wait for an obvious eye-related issue to schedule a meeting with your eyes’ doctor. However, if you experience symptoms like red, dry, and itchy eyes, blurry vision, or headaches after extended computer time, it is a must that you have an eye exam.
Once you’ve determined if you need new glasses, you don’t need to buy from the opticians. In fact, if you’re after something stylish, you can find low prices on Gucci glasses or something to suit your style. While many opticians have their own brands of glasses, they are something you will probably need to wear every day, so you need to be comfortable that they suit your face shape and fashion choices.
Studying and doing homework in front of your computer for several hours can lead to many visual impairments. So, protecting your vision when you are in college is imperative to avoid future eyes’ health problems.