Treating Monitor-Related Eye Strain? 103
bergeron76 asks: "Like many of you, I look at CRT and LCD displays constantly when I'm at work and when I'm at home (and even when I'm in my car). As a result, I was wondering if any of you have any neat ideas or ways to help reduce eye strain and dryness while looking at displays continuously? I've tried vitamins, eye drops, increased blinking, and combinations of glasses / contacts with little success thus far. People make assumptions about me because my eyes are constantly blood-shot, and I'm wondering what I can do to heal my eyes? I recently heard about Punctum Plugs and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with them and if they're worth the cost. They're little plugs that reduce the size of your tear ducts so your eyes retain more fluid and stay 'lubed'. Does anyone have any experiences with these or have any other recommendations for reducing eye strain and dryness (aside from not computing)?"
You're a towel (Score:5, Funny)
um, yeah... it's just monitor strain
i gotta remember that
Perhaps (Score:3, Funny)
-Sean
Not meaning to be funny . . . (Score:5, Informative)
Try to find ways to spend less time looking at the screen. Really.
Draw UML on a whiteboard. Step outside for a minute or two every so often. Outline test cases on a piece of paper. Organize things on real to-do lists, instead of running your life off the screen.
(This advice has helped me avoid carpal tunnel, too - I got to the point where my wrists ached, and found ways to break up long bouts of typing. It helped quite a bit.)
Get your refresh rate on your monitor up as much as is reasonable - even the slightest flicker can cause trouble after a few intense hours.
Also, if you can, find a way to get rid of fluorescent lighting in your work area. It makes a big difference.
Do everything you can to break up those long bouts in front of a screen, even for short periods. Rest your eyes. Good luck.
Re:Not meaning to be funny . . . (Score:2)
Are you generally healthy? (Score:5, Interesting)
But you are talking about two seperate (but related) things - eye strain, and dry eyes. There are two seperate remedies if you have taken care of health, fitness, and sleep. First, look away from the screen at a far away object for 30 seconds or more at least every 10-15 minutes. There are programs which cover the screen and force you to do so for periods of time. Second, make a program that flashes something large on your display every 10-30 seconds extremely briefly. Your eyes will instinctively blink, and you will not be distracted after getting used to it - much less distracting than a beep, or other stimulues, and uses your reflexes so you don't need to take your mind off what you're doing.
I find that reading and coding cause me to keep my eyes open for far longer than they should be. I would be surprised if you were actually blinking enough when you were trying to blink more frequently.
-Adam
Re:Are you generally healthy? (Score:3, Informative)
Also, the author of the article didn't mention exactly the contacts/glasses combinations he/she tried. At one point several years ago, I had to go several days without contacts just to get my eyes back to normal. A couple years ago, I had to give up on contacts entirely after one especially irritating episode (I'm happy enough with glasses, anyway).
If contacts are the source of irritation,
Contacts (Score:2)
I NEVER was able to get anywhere close to the vision quality I got with glasses when wearing contacts, thanks to severe astigmatism. Contacts just don't mix with it, even if your contacts are supposed to be correcting for it.
I eventually had LASIK surgery. Short-term, the haloing made monitors painful to use, but long-term (after the haloing went away), things are VASTLY improved. I have better vision than I ever did with contacts OR glasses.
Re:Contacts (Score:1)
Hard contacts are best for astigmatism...but no where close to the comfort of soft contacts. There are hybrid soft/hard contacts, but they are also very expensive. I agree that astimatism makes contacts a real pain in the ass (or eyes).
Re:Contacts (Score:2)
Re:Are you generally healthy? (Score:2)
I am fit, though I'd rather be in a slightly different shape. To keep fit I train for and compete in ultra cycling events. The most recent race was a 24 hour race in which I cycled 209 miles (150 miles in the first 12 hours). Every other weekend or so I cycle 30-80 miles, and I try
Re:Are you generally healthy? (Score:2)
This is good advice. I recommend looking at something far away, then close, then far away, then close, then far away. I find that just a few seconds at each range is enough for me, but you can increase the number of reps to suit yourself. The changing of focus far-short-far-short gives the eyes a good workout. Do
Re:Are you generally healthy? (Score:2)
http://www.micronite.com/html/news/preyes.htm
http://www.s-sc.com/towshlog.htm
There are probably others as well. I'm looking at making my own software in the near future.
-Adam
Invert Your Colors (Score:5, Interesting)
My eyes used to spasm and all sorts of nasty crap before I did this. A monitor is basiclly a large lightbulb, when the screen is mostly white, they will light the whole room.
The only problem is that many sites use white as a background and look ugly if you force your own colors on them.
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:1)
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:2)
Part of the eyestrain problem is also the blinking of the monitor, unfortunately this is hard problem to fix. I wonder if there is a defice, like a fluorescent screen with afterglow - which would even-out the blinking. (The downside would be that you would not be able to scroll fast - or it would produce "tails")
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:1)
Ahh, I remember the good (bad?) ol' days of coding on an amber screen terminal. I almost never got eyestrain. Of course, I had reams of greenbar paper that needed to be referenced from time to time, so I wasn't just staring at the screen for eight hours a day.
Try orienting your screen so that you can glance out a window or down a corridor from time to time. I would try to alter my environment and work habits before putting plugs in my tea
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:2)
This changes it across the board and not just within the developer's IDE (Studio or whatever.)
Back on my C=64 I used bright yellow on black as my normal display mode and I agree it works very well.
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:2)
First, my first computing experiences were on a Commodore PET, so I will probably always have warm fuzzies for green on black.
Second, green is a primary color on monitors, so it also reduces the blurring problem that many crappy monitors have, and those are usually the monitors that I feel the need to use an inverted color scheme on.
FYI (Score:2)
I would love a "green text on black BG" option for
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:2)
use konqueror (Score:2)
Re:use konqueror (Score:2)
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:1)
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:1)
i switched to dark green background and silver text for everything and lost a tic that i used to get
i thought it was too much pot, but was white background the whole time
do some checking on google, but the basic problem is that a book's lightsource is reflecting off of the white page, whereas a monitor is blasting that white light directly onto your retina. that is why black text on white back is good for books but nasty for CRTs
mozilla is very good at making the web look the way
Re:Invert Your Colors (Score:2)
Look for the 'Universal Access' module in the Preferences.
A call for new optional black background on slashd (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:A call for new optional black background on sla (Score:2)
Another career threatened by dry eyes (Score:5, Interesting)
- (for those who don't click through)
- drops in his eyes
- two flaxseed oil tablets a day
- clear wraparound glasses, essentially protective goggles
- sealed off his tear ducts so that fluid wouldn't drain easily from his eyes
Sealing off the ducts seems like a radical solution to me. I can't imagine monkeying that much with my body just to avoid dry eyes.---
"Sealing off tear ducts" (Score:2)
Same problem here (Score:4, Informative)
I'm in the middle of my exams, and my studies require me to sit at a computer screen for 10 hours a day (or more). Perhaps compared to some of you that's not much, but I'm experiencing itchy eyes, and sometimes I rub them vigorously because I can't take the itch anymore, and the result is: blood-shot eyes as if I just downed 15 tequilas. I'll sure keep an eye out (sorry for the pun) for any good solutions and if I find any, I'll post them up.
So far the only thing I can think of is Teramycin (TerRamycin?), a very mild desinfectant, comes in the form of a clear liquid or, more known to the public, ointment. I often use it if I get blood-shot eyes from swimming (I'm very sensitive to chlorene). Haven't tried it yet this time, but I'm gonna give it a shot. I read you have already tried eye-drops, but since Teramycin is a more viscous, oily stuff, it might help to keep your eyes wet and lubricated better (sounds gross doesn't it?)
Perhaps in the US this medicine is called differently, try to google it and find an alternative name.
Dude you are not using the correct drops (Score:5, Informative)
Some ideas (Score:4, Insightful)
#2 Make a new friend; have a co-worker lick your eyeballs.
Seriously, though, a couple of vision breaks watching the birds every three-four hours, using lubricating eye drops occasionally will help a lot. It's what I do to solve the problem (I compound it with wearing contacts).
And having plugs stuck in your tear ducts sounds damn scary to me. Remember they're there before you get the MRI.
Re:Some ideas (Score:2)
s/r ey//
for something else that might work.
Re:Some ideas (Score:2)
Why? I don't think MRI's affect plastic in anyway do they?
Humidity? (Score:2, Informative)
-Bill
An ounce of prevention.... (Score:5, Informative)
My response is going to echo a lot of posters here for this question. These are things you can do while you're (say) writing code.
First and foremost, don't be afraid to take yourself away from the problem. Side effects: you can sometimes focus more on a problem when you distance yourself from it.
Second, fluorescent lighting will contribute to the problem. They are HORRIBLE for your eyes. If at all possible, use halogen - it's closer to the sun's lighting than even incandescent. Keep in mind that there is a latent flicker in fluorescent lighting that only becomes very obvious when the bulb or ballast starts to go bad. It will strain your eyes, and no polarized or UV protected lens will stop this. This is why people wind up doing the bifocals thing after years and years in office environments.
Third, don't be afraid to go outside into the big room. You know, that room outside the installation with the bright blue ceiling during the day, or buncha pinprick lights at night? It's good for you, and...well, see my last paragraph regarding halogen lighting.
Re:An ounce of prevention.... (Score:3, Insightful)
It is rare that productivity actually benefits from a long wide-eyed zombie session. I mean... it does happen, when a large solution comes through and you are so excited to do it that you can't think of anything else anyway. Most of the time, you can keep working productively without your fingers on the keyboard and your eyes on the screen more than maybe 10% of the time.
Note: If your typing sucks, you'll get less rest time. One day, a friend came by my cube and looked over
Ripping (Score:3, Insightful)
I have very acute hearing, and am unfortunately very aware of my surroundings
Re:Ripping (Score:1)
In dry climates, go into the bathroom and let the hot water run as hot as you can stand it, soak your hands, then rinse your face a few times with very hot water - not sure why this helps but I have found it very helpful.
Washing your hands--actually, massaging them--in warm water does wonders for RSI problems in your hands/wrists too. This is especially true if you're in an office with insanely cold air conditioning.
treating monitor-related eye strain... (Score:5, Funny)
No, really; we told you you'd go blind!
monitor refresh (Score:1)
but it isnt always the best for your eyes
try upping your refresh rate on your monitors to 65, 70, or higher
when you switch over it may hurt, but that doesnt last very long
a higher refresh rate is better on your eyes
This one is easy to fix (Score:2)
Ergonomics (Score:5, Informative)
If you can't get one at work, at least have a good one at home. I went looking for a 19" monitor that could do 1600x1200 four years ago, and while I could have paid $450 (prices in USD), I instead opted for a $600 model (I used pricewatch [pricewatch.com] for these prices). Why? Because any eye care and related discomfort to me wasn't worth $150. And the monitor really should be able to do at least 70Hz at the resolution you use, I can't tell you how many people I know who've had monitor-related headaches that were fixed by upping the refresh rate.
I've used Macs for a long time, which come with excellent color-balancing software. But PCs don't have this, and I'll often notice they present an image onscreen that is horribly out of whack. A lot of monitors allow you to adjust the strength of the color outputs, and I assume there's some software to do the same (try Adobe?). You shouldn't notice any adjustment in your eyes between looking at the monitor and the real world (such as if you putting on or taking off tinted glasses). That's not good for your eyes either.
You're supposed to have your eyes 2 feet from the screen. I don't know anyone who actually does this, but most people are at least 1 foot away. If you're sitting closer, or finding that you often have to lean in to see things (such as small text), you should probably get a larger (physically) monitor, or run at a lower resolution (or, adjust the sizes of how all your fonts display). This will make a big difference, and you'll see results almost immediately.
Your eyes should be even with the top of the screen (not the bevel). Ok, this doesn't have to be precise, but if you are constantly looking down or up it's going to suck for not only your eyes, but your neck and back, too. It's easy to fix, too, mostly people have monitors that are too small, so they stack books or bricks or whatever underneath to raise it up.
Almost forgot this one. If you're getting too much glare from windows or overhead lights you're going to be squinting constantly while using your monitor. You probably don't even notice it, as (like all of these things) your eyes just adjust to it automatically and you don't notice until they're bloodshot or you've got headaches. But if you find that you're squinting, get a filter on your monitor, or buy one that has some sort of anti-relectivity technology built-in. Well worth it.
LCD (Score:2)
Go to Best Buy or somewhere they have monitors and LCDs in the same row. Step back a little bit. Look at the CRT, and chomp your teeth. See how it bounces around? Get closer and dart your eyes left and right and watch how the screen bounces around. Repeat with the LCD : the image stays rock solid.
If you wait for End of Quarter Sales at Dell etc
offtopic comment for kurdt (Score:1)
Re:offtopic comment for kurdt (Score:1)
Re:offtopic comment for kurdt (Score:1)
It's Easy (Score:1)
My solution (Score:2)
I changed from contacts to glasses and later bought an LCD monitor. Those two changes drastically improved my life.
Unfortunately, I don't think I look too good in glasses due to the very high power that my eyes require.
Re:My solution (Score:2)
Re:My solution (Score:2)
I just had laser surgery and (Score:2, Informative)
Dry eyes and artificial tears (Score:2)
Artificial tears are a LASIK patient's best friend. I used to need them all the time, now I'm down to one dose in the morning with rare exceptions. Note: Not all artificial tears are created equal. Most of the generics are the same formula, but Allergan's Refresh Tears drops and one of Ciba's products (I
Salt Lamps are in... style??? (Score:2)
Supposedly these things are great for offsetting the positive ionization especially created by CRT displays. The more expensive option would be to just get a good LCD... almost no ion/radiation being emitted. Yes, those CRTs emit lots of radiation... so get a salt lamp from Poland or sell your first child for a LCD display. [apple.com]
A geeky solution (Score:1)
carrots, sunshine, cashews, almonds, v8... (Score:2)
Your daily requirement for vitamin A more than doubles when you use your eyes for close work every day. Eye strain is a symptom of vitamin A deficiency. Munch on a few carrots and cashews during the day. Get some sunlight for the vitamin D. Cashews have calcium, which improves the absorption of other vitamins. Have a glass of V8. Canteloupe for breakfast. Plenty of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, and drink water! 8-10 glasses a day. A balanced mineral and vitamin combination regime will take over
Tube intensity and eye excercise (Score:4, Insightful)
I was worried about my eyesite for years. I stared at CRT's in crappy light and sometimes in blue light for hours on end. Let me tell you, staring at O'scope traces is hard on your eyes. On a submarine, most people wear glasses. I didn't and I think I know why: I turned the intensity down on the tube quite a ways but it was still bright enough to see easily. I also would focus on objects that were close and then immediately shift to ones that were far away (30-50' is a long way inside a welded shut sewer pipe).
Today, working sometimes 16 hours in front of a CRT, I do the same thing. I'm nearly 40 and have used computers and electronic devices now for 26 years solidly. My vision is still 20-20. Maybe I'm lucky but I think that it's do to good habits.
I have the same problem. (Score:1)
See a good Optometrist/Opthamologist (Score:4, Informative)
I told the opthamologist what I do for a living, and the problems I had been having. She gave me a very thorough exam, including some types of tests I'd never been given before.
She determined that I needed a little bit more power in my mid-range vision, i.e. the range at which a typical computer monitor will be from your eyes. She recommended a prescription with progressive lenses. (Thats the prescription terminology for lenses with invisible tri-focal features. The brand name for most such lenses is 'Varilux'). She prescribed lenses with a very slight amount of additional power in the mid-range focal area.
She also highly recommended anti-reflective coating on the lenses. (The brand name for the AR coating they use is 'Crizal', from the same company)
The bad news: It was the most expensive pair of glasses I had ever purchased. $400+ lenses (hefty prescription, "thin" progressive lenses, anti-reflective coating), plus $200 for Titanium frames that lasted four years.
The good news: No eye strain for the last four years. Despite the price, I was so happy with those glasses, that when they finally broke a few weeks ago, I went back to the same place and spent roughly the same amount for a new pair. But since the new glasses take about a week to arrive and my existing pair was dead, I also went to LensCrafters and got a "cheap" pair that same day. ($150) In the one week I wore those I had such bad headaches at work that I felt like I couldn't get much work done. (Plus, being LensCrafters frames & lenses, they basically feel like toy glasses. But at least I've got a spare pair to wear while playing racquetball.)
A herbal idea (Score:2)
Certainly beats using artificial stuff.
Move your monitor (Score:3, Insightful)
plugs (Score:1)
This might help: (Score:2, Interesting)
1) Cut.caffeine.cold. This is the worst offender by far, this nice psychotropic drug we geeks commonly overuse. It does a nice job of severely restricting blood to your arms (worsening and/or creating RSI/CTS whichever) and drying up eyes to an insane degree. It also makes you bitter, but that's another story. #1 problem.
2) Minimizing screen reflections, getting a nice anti-screen artifact, helps with vie
Re:This might help: (Score:2)
I prefer Hemlock tea. It's also 100% natural, and endorsed by Socrates. (You never hear about him having eye strain do you? its cause of the tea). Of course, you have to find a hemlock tree yourse
Artificial tears (Score:3, Informative)
The "generic" brands of artificial tears also suck.
Allergan's Refresh Tears, on the other hand, are amazing. Most of the generics have the same formula, but Refresh and Ciba's artificial tears (forget the exact name) each have unique formulas that are superior. I found that generics would cure dryness but blur my vision, Refresh doesn't.
FYI, if you have LASIK surgery, you will NOT be able to say no to eye drops for a few months. Refresh will be your best friend. (For the fi
reduce eye stress (Score:1)
- reduce contrast and brightness
- enhance refresh rate (>80)
- use large fonts with AA
- use softer colors e.g. white -> light yellow black -> dark brown
- no glares
- align your monitor so that the screen has a 90 degree angle to your line of sight
if you can't do some of it:
- get a better monitor
- use window shades + lights to get the right light
I used to have problems
Saving Your Eyes (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Saving Your Eyes (Score:1)
Re:Saving Your Eyes (Score:2)
Anyway, thanks bjb!
JOhn
Re:Saving Your Eyes (Score:1)
The only other thing that I could recommend is to change the color scheme you might use on your computer. If you're a windows person, I've found 'Plum (high color)' to be soothing.
Your mileage may vary.
Wrong Site (Score:1)
Green (Score:1)
Re:Green (Score:1)
I have had great personal success going back to the "old school" setup of green text on a black background. It has really helped my eyes. (I had laser eye surgery several years ago.) As other posters have mentioned, any time you can use a black background do it. Also, add some plants to your workspace. The green helps the eyes and they help break up all the geometric computer shapes.
Wow, these Raybans are GREAT! (Score:1)
Eye strain (Score:1)
Get rid of the flourescent lights. They're the worst thing (short of mercury vapor) that you can use. Get some good old fashioned incandescent lamps or halogens. Indirect bright light is best (don't introduce glair...)
Insist your employer provide you with a good quality monitor. Remind them that if you have problems caused by the bad hardware, it will reduce your productivity and may result in lost time. If they still won't comply, as a last resort, ask if you can provide your own monito
My eyes (Score:2)
blinking (Score:1)
Re:Blink? (Score:2, Informative)
What he doesn't say is what resolutions and scan rates he's using. Whether CRT's cause more or less of a problem. And why he has a CRT/LCD in his car, or how much time he spends in the car, I have a 5 minute drive, but if you spend hours in heavy traffic that's not good. I find driving more tiring than coding. If he's using an IDE, that I'd drive me nuts, I use a test editor with green text on a black background without any stupid context sensitive colouring. Try making you s