5 Eye Exercises for People Who Stare at Screens All Day

by | Jul 3, 2017 | VAASA MEMBERS, Virtual Assistant

5 Eye Exercises for People Who Stare at Screens All Day

A Virtual Assistant who spends most of her time in front of a computer can develop eye problems such as dry eye, vision problems, fatigue and eye twitching. These conditions can be the cause of your work errors and decreased productivity.

Unfortunately, the work must go on and you will still have to stare at a computer screen all day. Fortunately, there are eye exercises that can help you lessen the strain. Here are 5 eye exercises for people who stare at screens all day:

1.  Blinking

Blinking protects your eyes. Every time you blink a layer of tears forms over the surface of your eyes. A normal person blinks every five seconds, but when staring at a screen, the blinks rate decreases to every 12 seconds. This is a long time to have your eye unprotected.  Less blinking leads to dry eye and eventually to meibomian gland dysfunction, a condition whereby the gland that secretes oil into tears is blocked due to inactivity.

Practice blinking every five seconds while you stare at a screen. This may sound odd, but once your eyes get used to blinking, it will become second nature. Also, occasionally, close your eyes tight for five seconds and then open them up again.

2.  Eye-rolling

When we feel that our bodies are strained, we usually go for a massage. Similarly, when you start to feel the strain in your eyes, massage then by rolling your eyes. It lubricates your eyeballs and reduces all the strain.

3.  Palming

Palming simply means covering your eyes with your palms, only with a certain technique. To perform palming correctly:

  • Warm up the palm of your hands by rubbing them together
  • Cover your eyes with both hands like you would when playing peek-a-boo (correct hand placement until you see no light)
  • By focusing on your breathing, breathe in and out deeply
  • Repeat for one minute (You’ve got to get back to work ?)

4.  Focusing

Take time to focus on something other than your laptop. Focus on an object on your table or better yet something to the left or right of you. Keep focusing on the object for at least five seconds. Aim to do this every hour.

5.  Visual scanning

Scan the room by focusing on one object at a time. When looking at an object, pay attention to its size and shape. Experts say that looking at objects of varying height, width and length can help our eyes adjust from staring at a screen all day.

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