Nowadays, our life revolves around a screen and although it may seem like a lie, our health is tremendously affected by this habit. If you usually use the computer, either as a work tool or leisurely, it is possible that you have experienced symptoms such as tiredness, itching and dry eyes, photosensitivity, double or blurred vision on more than one occasion and the most common of all: headache. In this case, it is a pathology that can be specifically defined as due to a very specific cause: eyestrain. These headaches are directly related to the efforts made through the organs of sight when we are in front of a computer screen.
Although it is very difficult for you to change jobs or to stop using the computer permanently, there are some small gestures that you can carry out in your day to day to reduce the visual overload to which we are subjected and thus reduce pain headache caused by computer use.
Prevent the appearance of headache due to the use of computers
To prevent and avoid the symptoms of eyestrain, including headache, you should pay close attention to some aspects of your work environment:
Adjust posture
Place your computer screen directly in front of you. The monitor should be at least 50 or 100 centimeters away from your eyes. Keep the top of the screen at eye level and even slightly below to always look down at work. If you need to get really close to read the letters, increase the font size.
Move your computer screen away from the window
The computer screen should never face the light, nor should it be turned away. The ideal is to place it perpendicular to the window. Avoid placing the monitor in front of a window without barriers against light because the difference in lighting between the outside and the screen can cause visual disturbances that often lead to a headache.
Keep the monitor clean to avoid headache
It is important that you clean the dust from the computer screen on a regular basis since its presence decreases the contrast and contributes to the appearance of reflections and glare, which increase eye fatigue.
Rest your eyes
Have you heard of the 20-20-20 rule? It consists of taking your eyes off the computer screen every 20 minutes and looking at an object 20 feet away (approximately 6 meters) for at least 20 seconds. It is also recommended that you take a short break of about five minutes for every hour you spend in front of the computer. During this time, you can carry out other tasks such as a phone call, go to the bathroom, file documents… If possible, lie down and close your eyes for a moment.
Blink often to refresh your eyes
Blinking causes tears that moisten and refresh the eyes. If you want to avoid dry eyes and the consequent headache while you are working in front of the computer, you must make a conscious effort to blink more often.
Massage your eyes to prevent headache
Gently massage the upper part of your eyelids against the brow bone for 10 seconds. Continue to massage under the eyes against the lower bone for another 10 seconds. This little trick stimulates the tear glands, helps prevent dry eyes and with it, headaches.
Use appropriate glasses and lenses
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, make sure that the graduation of them is correct for working in front of the computer. Most glasses are not suitable for computer work as they are designed for reading on paper. Spending a little more money on some computer-ready glasses might be worth it.
If these small tips to prevent the appearance of headaches due to the use of computers do not work for you, it is best that you visit your doctor since migraines can be caused by other types of pathologies that may need specific treatment.