Almost always, those who stay in front of their computers for long hours experience dryness, redness, and discomfort with their eyes. People would always attribute these cases to the exposure of radiation from their computing devices. But with bookworms who stay until the wee hours reading books experiencing the same symptoms, radiation may not be the sole culprit why computer geeks suffer from dryness and discomfort with their eyes.
The real reason for dryness and discomfort with the eyes among mouse potatoes or those who are always in front of their computers is the decrease in blink rate. Blinking is the rapid closing of the eyelid, which can take for about the tenth of a second. Normally, a person blinks 4x in a second. When in front of the computer or when one is reading a book, concentrating on something we are seeing decreases our blink rate. A decrease in our blink rate for an elongated period is the top reason why computer geeks usually suffer from dryness and discomfort.
Here are some techniques to prevent your eyes from drying, which can cause redness and discomfort.
Conscious Blinking
Blinking is an involuntary movement, although we can control it. Our eyelids close even when we are not aware, but we can blink when we want to. When concentrating on what we are doing on our computers, the tendency is that we focus on what we are seeing so our blink rate decreases. Forced blinking after 10 seconds can prevent drying of the tear film.
Rest Your Eyes When Tired
The feeling of fatigue in our eyes while in front of our computer may indicate that our blink rates radically decreased, and so our eyes our drying up. Take time to close your eyes for some time, and if you are not running after a deadline, taking a short nap may invigorate your eyes.
Don’t Compromise Other Things
When in front of their computer, some may forget other things that they have to do, like taking their meals, giving food to their pets, or checking on the daily mail. For these short interruptions with what you are doing on your computer will provide enough time for you to rest your eyes and restore its normal blink rate.
Install BlinkGuard
A BlinkGuard will remind you to blink whenever you stop blinking. You can know more about this essential and innovative product online. You can install BlinkGuard on your webcam to help you monitor your blink rate while you are using your computing device.
Indeed, we should take care of our eyes, and being conscious about our blink rates will prevent eye infections, which can start from the dryness of our eyes. If unattended, our visual acuity can also be impaired.
