Eyestrain
Eyestrain is one of the
most common headache
triggers in high-frequency
Eyestrain is one of the
most common headache
triggers in high-frequency
computer users.
Focusing
You might think the act of
focusing on a screen is a
straightforward process
but it's not as simple as it
sounds. The distance
between the front of a
monitor and our eyes is
called the working
distance. Interestingly, our
eyes actually want to relax
at a point that's farther
away from the screen. We
call that location the
Resting Point of
Accommodation (RPA).
In order to see what's on
the screen the brain has to
direct our eye muscles to
constantly re-adjust its
focus between the RPA
and the front of the
screen. This "struggle"
between where our eyes
want to focus and where
they should be focused
can lead to eyestrain and
eye fatigue, which can
eventually trigger a
headache.
There are a few things we
can do to help alleviate
headaches triggered by
eyestrain:
If you're working for
more than 45 minutes, get
up and take a 10-15
minute break. Use that
time to do activities that
don't require focusing on a
monitor like going for a
walk, looking out of a
window or looking down
a long hallway.
If you're referring to text
on paper while working at
the computer, don't put
the paper down next to
your keyboard. Prop the
page up next to your
monitor so that there is
less distance for your eyes
to travel and less
opportunity for eyestrain.
Illumination
Not all eyestrain-induced
headaches come from
staring at a computer
screen. Eyestrain
headaches can also be
triggered by working in a
bright environment. The
lighting in many office
spaces include sun-filled
windows, overhead
fluorescent lights and desk
lamps. In addition, you
may not only be dealing
with the glare from your
computer but also the
glare from every other
computer in the room.
This kind of excessive
brightness or over-
illumination can trigger
several types of headaches
including migraines.
You may find that
reducing the illumination
can make a big difference
in the frequency of your
headaches:
Try turning the overhead
lights down the next time
you're working at the
computer.
If your work-setting
doesn't allow for you to
easily adjust the room
lighting or where you sit,
try adjusting the
brightness and contrast
settings on your computer
monitor.
If you're working on an
older-style CRT monitor a
glare filter that attaches to
the front of your screen
may also help
Focusing
You might think the act of
focusing on a screen is a
straightforward process
but it's not as simple as it
sounds. The distance
between the front of a
monitor and our eyes is
called the working
distance. Interestingly, our
eyes actually want to relax
at a point that's farther
away from the screen. We
call that location the
Resting Point of
Accommodation (RPA).
In order to see what's on
the screen the brain has to
direct our eye muscles to
constantly re-adjust its
focus between the RPA
and the front of the
screen. This "struggle"
between where our eyes
want to focus and where
they should be focused
can lead to eyestrain and
eye fatigue, which can
eventually trigger a
headache.
There are a few things we
can do to help alleviate
headaches triggered by
eyestrain:
If you're working for
more than 45 minutes, get
up and take a 10-15
minute break. Use that
time to do activities that
don't require focusing on a
monitor like going for a
walk, looking out of a
window or looking down
a long hallway.
If you're referring to text
on paper while working at
the computer, don't put
the paper down next to
your keyboard. Prop the
page up next to your
monitor so that there is
less distance for your eyes
to travel and less
opportunity for eyestrain.
Illumination
Not all eyestrain-induced
headaches come from
staring at a computer
screen. Eyestrain
headaches can also be
triggered by working in a
bright environment. The
lighting in many office
spaces include sun-filled
windows, overhead
fluorescent lights and desk
lamps. In addition, you
may not only be dealing
with the glare from your
computer but also the
glare from every other
computer in the room.
This kind of excessive
brightness or over-
illumination can trigger
several types of headaches
including migraines.
You may find that
reducing the illumination
can make a big difference
in the frequency of your
headaches:
Try turning the overhead
lights down the next time
you're working at the
computer.
If your work-setting
doesn't allow for you to
easily adjust the room
lighting or where you sit,
try adjusting the
brightness and contrast
settings on your computer
monitor.
If you're working on an
older-style CRT monitor a
glare filter that attaches to
the front of your screen
may also help
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