Five Eye Health Tips For High School & College Students

Are you a student preparing to go back to school?

Do you know someone who is about to start high school or even college?

Well then, this list is for you. Our in house Optometrist Dr. Henry shares 5 Eye Health tips you or your loved ones can practice to ensure you protect your eyes this school season.

1. Get enough sleep: 

A healthy sleep pattern does not only contribute to strengthening your brain functions but it is also beneficial for your eyes. Getting enough sleep relieves asthenopia symptoms (headache, eye strain, visual fatigue). It relaxes eye muscles and recovers your ciliary muscles in their accommodation function. In other words, sleep helps your crystalline focusing images and improves your visual acuity.  

2. Use adjustable chairs to enhance viewing angles: 

If you suffer from dry eye syndrome, prolonged screen time contributes to your dry eyes as it reduces the frequency of your blinks and their moisturizing effect. This mainly happens when you’re directly in front of the screen. Instead, adjust your chair, so you’re slightly above the screen. Doing so reduces eye strain and may increase the moisturizing effect of blinking.

3. Take intermittent breaks during studies:

When using the computer or other smart devices for long periods of time, taking breaks is important not only to your brain power, but also for your eye health. Next time you’re studying, apply the 20-20-20 rule. This means that for every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, you should look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Even that quick 20-second break can do wonders for your eyes in helping them feel refreshed and less strained over prolonged technology exposure. Besides applying the 20-20-20 rule, walk around, exercise, study using physical means, or do something entirely different for every hour.

4. Use Anti-Glare Glasses instead of contact lenses when studying: 

Jade Sky available at Bôhten

Research shows that contact lens users have a higher risk of blurred vision, dry eyes, headache, and computer vision syndrome. It is much better to use anti-glare glasses instead of contact lenses if you’re staying for an extended period of time in front of a computer screen. 

5. Wear blue light protective glasses:

Blue light glasses Jade Tortoise available at Bôhten

An effective way in reducing the ramifications of prolonged exposure to screens is by using glasses with lenses designed to filter out LED blue light.  Blue light lenses block or filter out blue light. Some studies show that blue light glasses may improve visual performance, improve sleep quality and alleviate eye fatigue. Blue light glasses help reduce potential damage to the eyes from prolonged exposure to blue light. Visit our home page to see the variety of blue light glasses we have available. 

We encourage you implement these tips into your daily school routine and share them with anyone you see that would benefit. 

Written by Optometrist - Dr. Henry