COLORADO SPRINGS — While so many of us are working from home, all eyes are on our laptops, tablets and phones. If you don't take breaks often you could find yourself with a vision problem. If you've been experiencing headaches and blurry eyesight, consider it a warning from your body.
"Your eyes can also become a little more red," said Dr. Matt MacDonald, an optometrist at Monument Vision. "It's been proven that the blue light can cause extra strain and fatigue on the eyes."
Dr. MacDonald says just like you would stretch or take a walk to release tension in your muscles, same goes for your eyes.
"I tell all my patients to practice the 20/20 rule," MacDonald said. "Every 20 minutes look at an object that's 20 feet away for 20 seconds."
MacDonald says it's also a good idea to blink in order to refocus your eyes. If that doesn't help, it could be time to get a new pair of specs.
"There are ways specifically with glasses to get coatings on your lenses to help block some blue light."
They're called computer reading glasses. The lenses have an anti-reflective coating and tint that helps protect your eye sight.
After that, the next coating you should think about is sunscreen, even in doors! The National Institute of Medicine says even an hour on the computer can damage skin cells, causing not only your eyes, but your skin to age.
Blue lights from your computer or phone don't cause cancer, but they can cause wrinkles. The CDC recommends picking sunscreen with a broad spectrum, even for darker skin tones.
If you notice problems with your skin or your eyes the most important thing to do is talk to your doctor immediately, whether through a Tele-health visit, or in person.
