These days, screens take some serious effort to avoid.
Endless staring at a screen can lead to dry, irritated, and tired eyes and headaches. But there could be a relatively easy solution to avoiding these pitfalls of screen time.
Looking away from your screen every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds and focusing on something about 20 feet away could help your eyes stay lubed and prevent eye strain.
Although this recommendation has become rather common, a new study confirmed its effectiveness.
Research suggests that about half of the people who look at screens for hours on end – whether for work or other reasons – experience digital eye strain. The reason could be partly because people typically blink about 15 times per minute, but only about half of that when they are focused on a screen.
Dry eyes and eye strain may not lead to any long-term troubles, but they are highly irritating.
But the headaches and irritation can plague some people. Therefore, using the 20-20-20 technique to divert your gaze can be a simple and effective measure to prevent them from taking hold and ruining your day. Try it while watching TV, too.
Of course, you could also try stepping away from the screen more often. Walking around the block, office, house, or wherever you may be can have the added benefits of physical activity.
In any event, looking away from your screen may help solve your issues with dry eyes and headaches.