Are bright screens giving you a headache? – Mummascribbles

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Do you spend most of your working day sitting at a computer? Do you regularly get headaches from staring at a bright screen all day? If so, you could be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS).

Computer vision syndrome is one of many short-term health effects caused by using a computer for prolonged periods. Other short-term aches and pains include ‘typer’s cramp’ from repetitive use of a keyboard and lower back pain from leaning over a desk.

Computer vision syndrome can lead to eye strain, blurred vision, fatigue and in many cases, headaches. This is the result of blue light emitted by computer screens, which is similar to the light produced by the sun.

Most people suffer from CVS in the evening or at night. This is usually after a whole day of staring at screens. Exposure to blue light in the evening plays tricks with our brain, making us continue to believe that it’s day time. While some people are hit by immediate waves of tiredness, others end up experiencing the opposite effect and may struggle to get to sleep because the brain still thinks it’s day time.

Headaches tend to be one of the more irritating side effects of CVS, making concentration impossible. If you’re desperately trying to complete a project for the next day, this could be the last thing you need. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent these headaches, as well as reducing many other symptoms of CVS. Below are just some of the ways to prevent bright screens from giving you a headache.

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Consider the lighting in the room

Overly harsh lighting is likely to increase eye strain and make computer vision syndrome worse. Such lighting can create screen glare. If you’re working in a room with fluorescent bulbs, consider switching this lighting out for less intense, warmer lighting. LED panels will likely cause a lot less strain.

You should also be wary of working in a room that’s too dimly lit. This is when you’re mostly likely to suffer from symptoms of tiredness. Make sure that your computer screen is not the only source of light in the room – adding lamps that produce a warm glow could help reduce the strain.

Consider the brightness of your screen

During the day, you might want to keep your screen on a bright setting. However, in the evening it could be worth reducing the brightness to mimic the reduction of blue light from the sun. This is less likely to confuse your circadian rhythm (helping you to sleep better), as well as preventing those headaches.

Programs like F.lux can automatically reduce the brightness and colour of your screen in rhythm with your local daylight hours. You can compare F.lux and several alternative programs here at https://alternativeto.net.

Consider your eyewear

If you wear glasses, you could find that light from the screen reflects on these, leading to lens glare. This can make CVS a whole lot worse.

Fortunately, there are many solutions to reducing glare while wearing glasses. It’s possible to opt for anti-reflective lenses, which contain a coating to repel light. You can find such lenses at sites such as www.eyeglasses.com. Alternatively, you could consider switching to contact lenses when using a computer screen.

Keep your computer screen clean

If your computer screen is dirty, you’re more likely to experience glare. Make sure to regularly clean your monitor so that there are no thumb prints or smears that could be picking up light. There are specialist screen cleaners that you should use to avoid damaging your screen.

Give your eyes a rest

The best way to avoid CVS is to take frequent breaks from staring at a screen. This is becoming increasingly harder in today’s digital world in which everything from meetings to phone calls are being conducted through a computer. However, there may still be small errands that you can carry out throughout the day to take a break, from checking physical mail to grabbing a coffee.

Remember that it’s not just computer screens that can cause computer vision syndrome. Any bright screen – whether it be a smartphone screen or a television – can have the same effect. Some of us don’t realise just how much time we’re voluntarily spending in front of a screen while not working. In fact, some of us spend our whole evenings alternating between a phone screen and a TV. By making a conscious effort to get away from digital devices for an hour or two, you can ward off the eye strain, tiredness and headaches.