Protect Eyes from Computer Eyestrain…

i don’t want to get Computer Vision Syndrome – do you? No, it’s not where you see only 1s and 0s. It is eye strain you get from staring at the computer too much. It is apparently a real condition, check out the article below.

Protect Eyes from Computer Eyestrain – Dry Eyes – Burning Eyes – RealAge.

i have 3 emails, 1 Facebook account and this blog to manage. That’s on top of reading all the other wonderful blogs i follow and the odd news article, as well as some work i do for a couple of non-profits. So i do spend a fair amount of time on computer. But here’s the thing, i don’t like reading on-screen (which is why i have been resisting buying an eReader, besides i love the feel and smell of a ‘real’ book). This CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) thing hits me quite fast so where i can, i print out to read… yes i know waste of paper, need to save the trees and all that… but i do recycle and reuse so i do my part for the environment.

Now back to this eye strain. Let me propose a few things for this weekend to avoid CVS:

1. If the first thing in the morning you do is switch on your computer or if you end your day on the computer, don’t! i propose you start and end your day with either a book (i mean a “real” solid book which you can hold in your hands and read the printed words off its paper pages.) or with a conversation with a loved one. Bring back the love of books (‘real’ books) and the art of conversation.
2. If you normally read your news online, just for this weekend, don’t! Go to the newsstand and buy yourself a broadsheet (such as The Times, The Herald Tribute etc…). There is something about reading a broadsheet which i love and hate all at the same time. Love because it’s words on paper. Hate because newsprint rubs off on your hands and i’m a small-sized person and find a broadsheet difficult to handle.
3. If you socialise a lot online (Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In etc…), don’t! Get on the phone, call a couple of friends and hang out with each other. Way better than exchanging silly jokes in the digital world. You can see each other’s weird expressions of laughter which makes for more laughs, you get to actually be in the same room and hugs can actually be felt.

So give those a try and let me know how it went 😉

syc