Save Your Eyes from Too Much Screen Time

We are all guilty of spending too much time in front of computer screens, on digital devices and even just out phones. This excessive use of digital display screens time has led to an increase in complaints of eye strain, dry eye, headaches and even insomnia. Computer eyestrain and dryness results from prolonged close focusing and not blinking enough while using these screens.

Some tips for helping computer or digital eyestrain include:

• Keep Your Distance: Your eyes actually have to work harder to see close up than far away. Try keeping your computer monitor or screen at arm’s length, about 25 inches away. Position the screen so your eye gaze is slightly downward.

• Reduce Glare: Glass screens can produce glare that can aggravate the eye. Try using a matte screen filter.

• Adjust Lighting: If a screen is much brighter than the surrounding light, your eyes have to work harder to see. Adjust your room lighting and try increasing the contrast on your screen to reduce eye strain.

• Give Your Eyes a Break: Remember to blink and follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Looking into the distance allows your eyes to relax.

Keep Your Eyes Moist: Keep artificial tears at hand to help lubricate your eyes when they feel dry. Consider using a desktop humidifier. Office buildings have humidity-controlled environments that suck moisture out of the air. In winter, heaters on high can further dry your eyes.
Stop Using Digital Devices Before Bed: There is evidence that blue light may affect the body’s circadian rhythm, our natural wake and sleep cycle. During the day, blue light wakes us up and stimulates us. So, too much blue light exposure late at night from your phone or other devices may make it harder to get to sleep. Limit screen time one to two hours before bedtime. Use nighttime settings on devices and computers that minimize blue light exposure.

If you or someone you know suffers from digital eyestrain or dryness, please call us today to schedule an appointment at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

No Watery Eye Onion Chopping Tips

 

No Watery Eye Onion Chopping Tips

Onions can add depth and sweetness to savory dishes, but the same compounds that make them so flavorful can also bring you to tears! Onion chopping and eye watering can be managed with a bit of insight and a few tips. Did you know that onions are rich in sulfur? When you chop an onion, you're releasing sulfurous compounds and enzymes into the air. Mixed together, they form an eye-irritating gas. Your eyes react to this gas by producing tears. Tears can help wash away these irritants, but they also blur your vision-and that's dangerous when you're handling a large, sharp knife. Fortunately, here are some practical tips to clear the air.

Keep Your Kitchen Breezy

Open the windows and turn on the fan above your stove or use the overhead kitchen hood while you work. This will sweep away the eye-irritating mist that rises from chopped onions.

Chill Onions Before Chopping

Onions' irritating compounds waft most easily through warm air. Chill the onions to be chopped in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before chopping to keep these compounds from rising up toward your eyes. 

Use Onion Goggles

Have you even heard of onion goggles? Yes, onion goggles actually exist and for many people can be helpful. You can find them in specialty cooking shops and home stores.

Onion Type Selection

Spring onions are fresh, not dried, and they're less likely to bring you to tears. The same goes for sweet onion varieties such as Vidalia. Try using spring onions during the spring and summer months, and switch to sweet onions in the fall and winter.