Insight #10: Eye Strain & Fatigue
Relaxing Eye Exercises: How To Avoid Eye Strain & Fatigue
While extended periods of screen time can have some pretty profound health effects, understanding why eye strain occurs and how to prevent it can alleviate a majority of the risks.
Have you ever experienced temporary blurry vision that went away after blinking? In order to function properly, the eyes need to be constantly moisturised and without hydration can perform sub-optimally. Blinking accomplishes just that by coating the eyes with a fresh layer of nourishing tears while clearing away any dust or debris. Eye blink rate can drop drastically while gaming, and reversing that can prevent blurry vision associated with dry eyes.
Similarly, sustained focus on a computer screen only a short distance away can cause dysfunction in the muscles of accommodation responsible for maintaining focus. Changing your focal point periodically to objects further away can help prevent this from occurring. Finally, it is essential to give your eyes, and the rest of your body a break from the constant screen glare associated with prolonged gameplay. These can all be accomplished either between games or when waiting to respawn, without having to leave your seat.
Eye strain and the symptoms associated with it, can be prevented with a conscious effort to maintain eye hydration, vary focus, and provide occasional breaks from screens.