Remember to blink – eyecare tips for lockdown

With the national lockdown continuing into March, we want to offer some eyecare tips to help during long days of home working and studying.

Extra hours staring at computer screens, with little time spent outdoors can take its toll on our eyes.

A recent survey of 2,000 people found half had used screens more since Covid began. 38% of those believed their eyesight had worsened.

Those who undertake long periods of screen work are encouraged to follow the 20/20/20 rule. That is, for every 20 minutes you look at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives the eyes a chance to relax.

There are two other very simple pieces of advice as well:

Remember to blink! Focusing solely on your screen – or on your webcam during Zoom or Teams meetings – may make you blink less effectively. This causes your eyes to become dry and feel uncomfortable.

Secondly, make sure you do wear your glasses if they have been recommended for looking at computer work.

Eye test

The survey was commissioned by charity Fight for Sight. Chief executive Sherine Krause said: “With the pandemic having forced so many of us to move to digital working, online learning and even virtual socialising, it is not surprising that our screen time has soared.

“People should continue routine eye care throughout the pandemic and to get their eyes tested if they feel their sight has deteriorated. More than half of all cases of sight loss are avoidable through early detection and prevention methods and regular eye tests can often detect symptomless sight-threatening conditions.”

Fight for Sight also reminds people that under health and safety legislation, employers must pay for an eye test for their employees if they are display screen equipment users.

If you do experience eye strain despite taking regular breaks, do give us a call. We can provide support over the phone and arrange a consultation if required. There’s more about how we can look after your eyes during lockdown here.

And there’s information from the NHS on dry eye. They also have lots of useful hints and tips on maintaining a healthy body and mind while working from home.