With the ever changing COVID-19 disruptions to daily life, you might have found yourself working from home. A change to your work environment such as different monitors, desks and equipment means you might be struggling to stick to good visual hygiene, and hence be causing eyestrain.
You can help alleviate some of this eye strain with this simple 20-20-20 strategy: Every 20 minutes look 20 feet away and blink 20 times. This easy to remember message has an imperial based system of measurement but that “20 feet” component is easy to translate to 6 meters.
We break it down as follows:
20 minutes
Every 20 minutes give your eyes a break, look away from your screen and blink to moisten your eyes.
20 feet
Look at an object 20 feet (6 metres) away. And hey, why not stand up and stretch your body at the same time?
20 blinks
Take your eyes off your screen and blink 20 times. Blinking is essential for spreading moisture across the surface of our eyes so that they get the nourishment they need.
Talk to an optometrist about digital eyewear
Did you know that approximately 65% of digital users experience physical discomfort after spending 2+ hours in front of a digital screen?^ The latest in eyewear technology now offers lenses specifically designed to alleviate digital eye strain. Find your nearest independent optometrist to explore how personalised digital lenses can ease the strain on your eyes.
Find your nearest optometrist now
^Ernst & Young (2016). Digital Australia. Sydney, NSW. ^Deloitte (2015). Mobile Consumer Survey – The Australian Cut. Sydney, NSW. ^Eyes Overexposed: The Digital Device Dilemma, 2016 Digital Eye Strain Report, The Vision Council, US