If you spend a lot of time working from home, you may risk developing dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic disorder where the eye’s surface becomes irritated and inflamed. This irritation can cause your vision to become blurry, dry, or irritated. This disorder is more common in older adults but can happen to people of all ages.
Working from home is a perk that more and more of us enjoy. But for many people, it’s also something that comes with added stresses, like worrying about catching a cold because of the lack of exposure to germs and dry eye because of the lack of light. There are a number of things you can do to help control dry eye symptoms when you work from home.
Change Your Lighting
Working from home can be a wonderful thing. It allows you to be productive in your pajamas, and since you don’t have to commute, it can save you a good amount of money. But, working from home in dim lighting can be detrimental to your health. Working in dim light makes the eyes very dry, which leads to itchy, red, and irritated eyes. And while many people attribute these symptoms to allergies, most are actually caused by chronic dry eyes. The symptoms of dry eyes, such as blurry vision, eye fatigue, and itchiness, can also be caused by infections, eye disease, medications, and autoimmune disorders. Make sure you have enough light, even natural sunlight, in your workspace.
Take Frequent Breaks
Working from home can be very convenient, but all that sitting in front of a computer can lead to dry eyes. To help combat this, make sure you take frequent breaks to get up, stretch, or walk around.
Working from home is a dream for many, but it can also cause a number of health and safety issues. One of the most common problems is dry eyes, and while you can take precautions for your eyes, you may also be in the perfect position to prevent it. Tracking your screen time, taking frequent breaks, and drinking plenty of water are just a few tips that can help you prevent dry eyes while working remotely from home.
Maintain proper distance
Working from home can seem like a dream come true. Get up when you want, choose your own schedule and work for fun. But it can also be a nightmare. When you spend so much time sitting in front of a computer, your eyes start to dry out. The condition is more common in people who work at a computer, where eyes are exposed to dry air for long hours, or if they wear contact lenses. To prevent dryness, maintain proper distance with your computer, provide your eyes a break from the computer, take breaks from squinting to look at small devices, and, if needed, use eye drops or lubricants. If you’re looking for additional treatment options for dry eyes, you can check out dry eye clinical trials at Power.
Use eye protection
No matter if you’re working at home, in an office, or outdoors—it’s essential to keep your eyes protected. But, while most people know to wear sunglasses to protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays, not everyone realizes that eye protection is just as, if not more, important when it comes to eye health. The eyes work hard for you, so it’s important to give them the proper protection.
Eye exercises
Are you working long hours from the comfort of your home? If so, those long hours in front of the computer screen can lead to dry eyes. Lack of moisture in the eyes can lead to irritation and discomfort. Eye exercises can help keep your eyes healthy while spending long hours at your desk.
Don’t forget to blink.
While working at home, you may spend all day staring at a laptop, monitor, or mobile device, but your eyes need a break too. While working, your eyes are constantly focusing and usually not blinking. Blinking helps lubricate your eyes and eyelids and is critical in that they trap tears and flush out irritants. When you don’t blink often, the eyes don’t get a break, and this can cause dryness and irritation.
Stay hydrated.
Working from home can be a relaxing change of pace. Yet, there are many challenges to working from home. One of the biggest challenges is taking care of your eyes. While you may take proper precautions at work, such as wearing protective gear or using a magnifying glass, these precautions don’t always carry over during work hours at home. When it comes to your eyes, proper hydration is incredibly important. Experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. This helps ensure your body keeps enough water inside your eyes to keep it hydrated.