Dry eyes and headaches: Do you know these complaints after hours of work on the computer? Experts speak of computer vision syndrome. What you can do about it.
A long day at work in the office or home office is often not only stressful for the head, but also for the eyes. According to the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG), if they burn and your head hurts, this indicates a so-called computer vision syndrome. Studies indicate that one in two people who use computers and smartphones intensively experience these complaints.
How does this happen? A crucial reason is that we control our work on the computer with the cursor. “So that we can coordinate the movements well, the blinking frequency unconsciously decreases,” says ophthalmologist Prof. Wolf Lagrèze from the University Hospital of Freiburg.
The consequences: If we blink less often, our eyes are less supplied with tears that keep them moist. The tear film gradually loses stability, which becomes noticeable in burning and itching eyes. And not only that: “Over time it sometimes becomes a pain towards the head,” says the ophthalmologist. This can also be related to an unhealthy sitting posture that causes muscles in the neck to tense up.
Tips: From blink pause to 20-20-20 rule
Even small habits can counteract computer vision syndrome – taking regular short breaks to blink or closing your eyes for a few seconds, as Wolf Lagrèze advises. This moisturizes them again.
The indoor climate also plays a role; dry heating air exacerbates the problem. The ophthalmologist therefore recommends regular ventilation to keep the air in the room more humid.
And then there is the so-called 20-20-20 rule, which we can use to do something good for our eyes when we work at the screen for a long time. The RWTH Aachen University Hospital explains how it works: Every 20 minutes, you look away from the monitor and look at an object at least 20 feet (around 6 meters) away for 20 seconds. This allows the eye muscles, which are tense when seeing at short distances, to relax briefly. And maybe your head too when you look at the clouds in the sky or see a bird in a tree.
Headaches can also have other reasons
Always have a headache after working on the computer? This can also have other reasons, such as ametropia. “If nearsightedness or farsightedness is not recognized or corrected, we strain our eyes,” says Wolf Lagrèze. “As a reaction, a headache sets in in the evening.” Glasses whose strength no longer fits can also be the cause. This can be clarified with an eye test.
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