Do you suffer from tired, dry eyes?

Modern living and working habits mean that we are spending ever more time reading and watching computer screens - from the large to the very small.

Looking at computer screens require the eye to focus at short distances - which requires the most effort by our eye muscles. In the UK you may have the right to ask your employer to pay for an eye test depending on the amount of time you are required to use a computer or similar device.

Although there is no good evidence to suggest that computer monitors cause any permanent damage to your eyes, staring at a acreen for hours on end without a break can cause eyestrain, dry eyes, headaches and neck pain.

So if you do work at a computer all day (and who doesn't these days?) you should take steps to keep your eyes healthy.

• Take regular breaks from the screen. If possible, look at objects in the far distance (such as looking out of a window) at regular intervals. Allow your eyes to scan around the room to allow them to focus on objects at different distances.
• Stop your eyes from becoming dry. If you are in an air-conditioned office, use a humidifier or put an open bowl of water nearby to increase the moisture content of the air around you.
• Avoid glare on the computer screen. Adjust window blinds or curtains to make sure there is no direct sunlight being reflected from the screen onto your eyes.
• Make sure your computer screen is in the correct position. The screen should be 20 to 30 inches away from your eyes, and at eye level. You should not need to tilt your head upwards to read the monitor.
• Make sure your screen is clean. The static on the screen attracts dust which can cause your eyes to become irritated, especially if you wear contact lenses.
• Blink more! Staring at the monitor reduces your natural blink rate, so take some time out and do some blinking to help prevent dry eyes.

Finally, get your eyes tested. We should all be doing this anyway. But if you do have problems with focussing, blurred vision or dry eyes it may be that working at the computer is making an existing eye problem worse.

This article was published on Thu 20 May 2010