Posted on 09/24/2022 6:44:09 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
It's long been recommended as a way of easing eye strain while working at a computer screen. Now the 20-20-20 rule—taking a break of at least 20 seconds, every 20 minutes, to look at least 20 feet away—has been confirmed by scientists to help ease some of the symptoms of prolonged computer use.
It's estimated that at least half of people using computers in their regular work have some form of digital eye strain, resulting in eye surface problems including irritation and dryness, or vision issues such as headaches or blurred vision. Humans normally blink around 15 times each minute. When staring at screens, this number decreases generally to half or less. That can lead to dry, irritated, and tired eyes, but twenty seconds focusing elsewhere is long enough for the eyes to relax enough to reduce the strain.
Special software downloaded onto the participants' own laptop computers used the built-in laptop camera both to check if a user was sitting at the screen and to monitor their gaze direction every few seconds. The message couldn't be removed until the task was performed correctly, as measured by the app.
Participants' digital eye strain symptoms were measured before and after two weeks of using the reminders, and one week after completing the study. Results showed a marked decrease in symptoms including dryness, sensitivity and discomfort.
Researchers noted that after the study, the participants' eye symptoms returned to what they had been before the intervention.
The findings confirm that people should try and take breaks from their screens. He added: "Although we used sophisticated software, it's easy for others to replicate the effect by setting a timer on their phone, or downloading a reminder app. It's a simple way of reminding yourself to take regular breaks for the good of your eyes."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Bookmark
Below is the brand I bought. It was recommended by a computer guy I know. I paid around $8 for a pair on Amazon a couple of years ago. They are now around $20. I guess that’s just another example of the Biden Effect.
Uvex Ultra-Spec 2000 Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses with SCT-Orange Lens
Can attest to these findings. Being a sufferer of severe dry eye, tried all kinds of remedy’s from medical to manual. Started using blue blocking glasses which does help a bit. Working from home for way longer than has been fashionable, the eye strain is terrific and my eyes aren’t getting any younger, LOL. While I didn’t follow the 20-20-20 rule, I had setup an hourly reminder at which time I’d walk away, go into another room or outside briefly to look around. It does help but consistency is key. When I’m working on a major project or a problem, it’s sometimes difficult to take that break and it does show, my eyes feel puffy. On weekends obviously it’s not bad but during the week it’s quite noticable. Guess I need to set those reminders up again ;)
Do you find the glasses better than the filters you can clip on to your screen?
Yes, the glasses were better for me and I use them for my tablet at night when I’m just relaxing. I find that clip on filters for monitors were too annoying for me. My one friend uses them without an issue. As for me, have been looking at monitors from various distances for well over 30 years (yep, my body is older) a clip on filter is disorienting, disrupts my view.
Bkmk
since most documents are still scaled 8 1/2 x 11
how about making the monitor the same dimensions
might help with carpal tunnel
Just get computer glasses which filter out blue light. My eyes used to sting badly each night after computing for a few hours, until someone mentioned computer glasses. I pi ked some up in my diopter strength, and haven’t had an issue since.
Thanks for the tip.
I put my computer in “dark reader” mode. It helps a lot to reduce eye strain.
There are reading glasses that block blue light
I like the titanium glasses as they are so much lighter.
Careful not to order progressive readers as I did. They are like bifocals and are blurry.
Many
https://tinyurl.com/38zwvk77
Titanium glasses
https://tinyurl.com/yhv96tn6
Thanks, I have some readers that block, but will check those out. Yeah the progressive glasses are awful. Bought some once too- I suppose they “might” be OK if i want to be dizzy for weeks till I get used to them but nope, I’d rather not.
Thank you — I’m going to get one of these! Thanks
“I put my computer in ‘dark reader’ mode.”
I had a co-worker with severe macular degeneration. His screen was set to black background with white type. Is that “dark reader”?
Fascinating article and something I’ve done off and on.
OT: I was reading a GlyNAC study and was stunned at the doses. 100mg/kg/day. For a 150 pound man it would mean almost 7g of each. That’s a lot. Are there other studies showing a lower minimum effective dose?
Nestle’s Celltrient division says to take two 600 mg doses of glycine and NAC a day, for 1,200 of each a day. They licensed the patent and apparently believe this lower dose is fine.
I would say they market it to all ages, though.
The effects are likely additive. My wife and I take 1,800 mg of each a day and we’ve noticed a benefit.
It’s cheap enough that the higher daily amounts could be fine and financially attainable for older people, like those used in the studies, as they have a greater bodily need for glutathione and possibly the separate components, for what they can also do alone.
It appears multiple smaller doses throughout the day are the better approach, as there is a limit to the amount of glutathione cells need to produce, every few hours.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.