by Catherine L. Tully
If you are spending multiple hours on your computer you run the risk of eye strain. To help avoid this problem the Mayo Clinic suggests that you keep your monitor about 20 to 28 inches from your eyes (51 to 71 centimeters for our pals on the metric system). Also be sure that it’s right in front of you instead of off to the side.
A good estimate for when you are at the coffee shop? About an arm’s length away.
Also, if you get dry eyes when you are on the computer, consider using one of the over-the-counter teardrop preparations to refresh the moisture level and make your eyes feel better. Just make sure you check the label and follow the directions. If that kind of thing isn’t in your budget then just try to blink more often—believe it or not, it helps.
Actually the over the counter teardrop preparations are also bad for your eyes in the long run because it prevents the eye to make less tears, so the eye starts relying on the teardrops.
So that means you’ll need to buy more and more teardrops until eventually your eye stops producing tears at all, which isn’t good and the resulting factor would be eye surgery.
I didn’t know this until I saw it on “The Doctors” the other day.
Thanks for the warning Jenny! I did a little research on Mayo Clinic’s site (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dry-eyes/DS00463/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs) and it appears that as long as you use the ones without preservatives you can use them as often as you like. They state that the ones with preservatives you can use safely up to four times a day.
It is good advice to use them sparingly either way, however. I should also add that using a humidifier can help if you live somewhere with dry air.