HealthyLife Articles

Tag: blue-light

  • Eyestrain From Computer Use

    Eye Conditions

    Persons who use computer video display terminals (VDTs) at work and/or at home may notice eyestrain.

    Signs & Symptoms

    *  Eye discomfort or irritation. This includes dry, red, and/or watery eyes.

    *  Eye fatigue.

    *  Having a hard time focusing.

    *  Back pain, shoulder pain, and headaches may also occur.

    Causes

    The cause of eyestrain is most likely from conditions that surround the VDT, not the VDT itself. These include improper positioning of the VDT and supplies, poor lighting, and/or poor posture.

    A pre-existing eye problem may also be the cause.

    Treatment

    Self-care measures prevent and treat eyestrain when using VDTs.

    Questions to Ask

    Self-Care / Prevention

    *  Place the screen so that your line of sight is 10 to 15 degrees (about one-third of a 45-degree angle) below horizontal.

    *  Position the VDT screen about 2 feet away from your eyes. This is a little farther away than normal reading distance.

    *  Dust the screen often.

    *  Reduce glare. Place the VDT at right angles to a window. Turn off or shield overhead lights. Wear a visor to block them, if needed.

    *  Place your paperwork close enough that you don’t have to keep refocusing when switching from the screen to the paper. Use a paper document holder placed at the same height as the VDT screen.

    *  Blink often to keep your eyes from getting dry. Use “artificial tear” eyedrops, if needed.

    *  Tell your eye specialist that you use a VDT. Glasses and contacts worn for other activities may not be good for VDT work. With bifocals, the near-vision part of the lens is good for looking down, as when you read, but not for looking straight ahead, as when you look at a video display screen. You may need single-vision lenses for VDT work.

    *  If the image on the VDT screen is blurred, dull, or flickers, have it serviced right away.

    Resources

    Prevent Blindness America

    www.preventblindness.org

    Healthier at Home book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Power Down At Night

    FAMILY LIFE

    Image of family playing a game of chess.

    Make the hour before bed a no-electronics zone, said Dr. Jill Creighton, pediatrician at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Powering down makes bedtime easier because kids need to relax before going to sleep.

    Most school-age kids (ages 6 to 17) have at least one device; a smartphone, video games, iPad or computer in their bedrooms while sleeping, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey. And children who leave those devices on at night sleep less-up to one hour less on average per night. Dr. Creighton makes a few more observations for your kids (and maybe for you as well):

    *  Ban hand-held devices from the bedroom. “The burst of light from a phone (even if it’s just to check the time) can break a sleep cycle,” she said. “A regular alarm clock is best.”

    *  If your child has a slight addiction to technology and is resistant about turning off a device, try dialing down the screen time. “Reduce screen time by 30 minutes or more each week until you reach your goal,” said Dr. Creighton. “A good rule of thumb is try to limit recreational screen time to 60 minutes every day. And for every 30 minutes of screen time, make sure your kids get 30 minutes of physical activity.”

    *  Try to replace screen time with an activity. “It’s sometimes hard to get kids off the couch and get them moving,” said Dr. Creighton. “Parents, get creative and make moving fun for kids.” Some ideas: a 20-minute family walk, 20 minutes of shooting hoops outside, walking the dog, going bike riding and doing chores (with the promise of an allowance) such as vacuuming, putting away laundry, raking leaves, shoveling snow and helping with the garbage/recycling.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine