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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff- Take eye breaks. Throughout the day, give your eyes a break by forcing them to focus on something other than on your computer screen. Try to give yourself a five-minute rest every hour. Do other work, such as phone calls or filing, during this time. Try to stand up and move around at least once every hour or so. If possible, lean back and close your eyes for a few moments.
- Blink often to refresh your eyes. Because many people blink less than normal when working at a computer, dry eyes can result from prolonged computer use. Blinking produces tears that can help moisten and lubricate your eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink more often.
- Consider using artificial teardrops. Available over-the-counter, artificial tears can help prevent and relieve dry eyes that result from prolonged sessions at the computer. Your doctor can suggest which drops might be best for you. Lubricating drops that don't contain preservatives can be used as often as you need. If the drops you're using contain preservatives, don't use them more than four times a day. Avoid eyedrops with a redness remover, as these may worsen your dry eye symptoms.
- Practice relaxation. Ease muscle tension with this relaxation exercise: Place your elbows on your desk, palms facing up. Let your weight fall forward and your head fall into your hands. Position your head so that your eyebrows rest on the base of your palms, with your fingers extended toward your forehead. Close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose; hold it for four seconds then exhale. Continue this deep breathing for 15 to 30 seconds. Perform this simple exercise several times a day.
- Get appropriate eyewear. If you wear glasses or contacts, make sure the correction is right for computer work. Most lenses are fitted for reading print and may not be optimal for computer work. Glasses or contact lenses designed specifically for computer work may be a worthwhile investment.
