DESKTOP/LAPTOP USER
CARE
Adjusting the display settings of your computer
can help reduce eye strain and fatigue. Generally, these adjustments are
beneficial:
· Brightness. Adjust the brightness of the display so
it's approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation.
As a test, look at the white background of this Web page. If it looks like a
light source, it's too bright. If it seems dull and gray, it may be too dark.
· Text size and contrast. Adjust the text size and contrast
for comfort, especially when reading or composing long documents. Usually,
black print on a white background is the best combination for comfort.
· Color temperature. This is a technical term used to describe
the spectrum of visible light emitted by a color display. BLUE LIGHT is
short-wavelength visible light that is associated with more eye strain than
longer wavelength hues, such as orange and red. Reducing the color temperature
of your display lowers the amount of blue light emitted by a color display for
better long-term viewing comfort.
For computers
running on a Microsoft Windows operating system, display settings can be
adjusted in Control Panel. For an Apple computer, display settings are found in
Systems Preferences (in the Applications folder in Finder).
In some
cases, the color temperature of a desktop computer monitor is adjusted on the
display itself.
Text Size and Color on
Your Digital Screen
To
avoid eye strain, at what size should your computer display text? According to
computer vision syndrome expert , it should be three times the smallest
size that you can read from your normal viewing position.
The best color
combination for your eyes is black text on a white background, though other
dark-on-light combinations also work well.
If you use Windows 7,
you can adjust text size and color by going to the Start menu, opening the
Control Panel and choosing Display. Here you can also adjust your screen's
resolution and brightness, for best visual comfort.
You can adjust text size
when using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and other browsers, too. For
example, in Firefox, you can enlarge an entire webpage by using the keyboard
command Ctrl + as many times as you want, while Ctrl 0 makes everything
normal-sized again. (Ctrl - makes everything smaller.) To enlarge only the
text, use Alt V, then Z, then T. Then use Ctrl + again, and you'll see just the
text enlarging.
Each browser and email
program has different commands for adjusting text size, so look through the
menus to learn what they are. Or visit Google and search for how-tos there.
Many smartphones let you
adjust text size. For example, on the iPhone 4, you simply open the Settings
menu, then choose General, then Accessibility, then Large Text. Here you can
choose a new font size for core applications such as Mail, Notes and Calendar.
The font will also display in certain third-party applications.
Whatever
type of digital screen you're using, you'll enjoy it more if you make the
effort to adjust the view for your visual comfort. Don't know how? Check the
manufacturer's website or look it up on Google. — L.S.
.Blink more often.
Blinking is
very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to
prevent dryness and irritation.
When working
at a computer, people blink less frequently — about one-third as often as they
normally do — and many blinks performed during computer work are only partial
lid closures, according to studies.
Tears
coating the EYE evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking
phases and this can cause DRY EYE . Also, the air in many office
environments is dry, which can increase how quickly your tears evaporate,
placing you at greater risk for dry eye problems.
If
you experience dry eye symptoms, ask your eye doctor about ARTIFICAL
TEARS for use during the day.
By
the way, don't confuse LUBRICATING EYE DROPS with the drops
formulated to "get the red out." The latter can indeed make your eyes
look better — they contain ingredients that reduce the size of blood vessels on
the surface of your eyes to "whiten" them. But they are not
necessarily formulated to reduce dryness and irritation.
To
reduce your risk of DRY EYE DURING COMPUTER, try this exercise: Every 20
minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep (very
slowly). This will help rewet your eyes.
