Wellness Wednesday | Healthy Eyes, Healthy You!

If you’re reading this, you’re staring at a digital screen. In fact, you’re likely spending a lot more time online than you did before social isolation became the new norm. While binge-watching your favorite shows and scrolling through social media newsfeeds may be helping you pass the time, your eyes are no doubt experiencing extra strain. Here are three tips to keep your eyes seeing their best!

1. Wear blue light filtering glasses

Blue light glasses have been a growing trend over the last few years, and now is as good a time as any to invest in a pair if you haven’t already! The Focus™ Collection from Peepers filters more than 40% of high-energy visible (HEV) blue light in the 400-450 nanometer range. They look and feel just like regular glasses and are available with reading magnification for those who need it or no correction for those who don’t. The lenses feature anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings as well as UV400 protection. Your eyes will say thank you for protecting them against HEV blue light as well as more than 99% of UVA/UVB light!

2. Take frequent breaks

Staring at a screen uninterrupted for long periods of time puts an immense amount of strain on your eyes, which are forced to focus nonstop at a fixed distance. Imagine holding an object above your head—no big deal at first, but over time, the muscles in your arm will start to cramp and ache. Your eyes are no different.

Make sure you’re taking breaks often. Try to implement the 20-20-20 rule: every twenty minutes, look away from your screen for twenty seconds and focus on an object at least twenty feet away.

3. Adjust the brightness to optimize your display

The brighter the screen, the more likely you are to feel eyestrain by the end of the day. Many modern devices offer their own blue-light or after-dark settings that can be turned on. Keep in mind that auto brightness isn’t always as reactive as it should be to adjust the screen to your optimal level. Play around with your settings until you find your sweet spot—the screen shouldn’t be too bright, but you also shouldn’t be straining to read if it’s too dark, either.

These simple tips can help prevent symptoms of digital eyestrain. Your peepers will be grateful for the extra TLC!