CPM Tip of the Month: August 2020
Our computing devices are hurting our eyes. Screen pulsations, screen brightness, blue light, lack of blinking and other byproducts of working on computer can cause eyestrain, eye pain and uncomfortable dry eye. And that is not to mention negatively affecting our circadian rhythms for restful sleep. Computer Vision Syndrome come from prolonged computer, table, ereader and smartphone use.
An article on preventing eyestrain from digital devices from WebMD has suggestions for proper screen distance and height, as well as reminders to taking a break from the screen and using a humidifier in the room where you do the most computing. Other suggestions include:
- Raise the contrast on your screen.
- Make text larger.
- Change the brightness of the screen. It should not be lighter or darker than your surroundings.
- Lower the color temperature of your screen. That means it will give off less blue light, which is linked to more eyestrain.
- Raise the device’s refresh rate. That will cause less flickering of the screen.
There is a piece of software called IRIS TECH, which after a free trial has paid plans (including purchase for life) that let you customize blue light filters, screen brightness, and other settings for smartphones, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
However if you just want to keep it simple you can set up Night Light to be on during the day on your Windows machine. Just go to Display – Settings and toggle on the Night Light. You can use the slider to adjust it. Then instead of having it timed to come on a certain hour you just leave it on all day. You can also set up blue light filters on you iPhone, Android, or Mac.