Spending the day in front of the computer can sometimes cause headaches. The ophthalmologist gives the keys to reduce them and, above all, to avoid them in the future.
After hours spent in front of the computer, working or surfing the net, he sometimes gets a headache. In order to fight against these pains, we still need to understand the causes. Blue light, poor screen-viewing position or even eye dehydration… Petra Kunze, ophthalmologist and co-author of the book My screen and me. put an end to fatigue (1), explains how screens can cause headaches and provides keys to mitigating the effects.
In the video, what are the effects of screens on children’s brains?
Retinal fatigue
At the beginning of these headaches, we start with blue light and screen pixels. Both tire the eyes. The color of the light is close to the color of ultraviolet rays, which makes it aggressive. “Spending hours in front of that surface light tires the retina, and slowly has a small burn effect,” the ophthalmologist details.
Adjusting the brightness of the computer screen and choosing a softer light (green or turquoise) is necessary to reduce its aggressiveness. Activating night mode (yellower screen) on your smartphone all day is also more pleasing to the eye. At home, it is good to prefer warm colors for room lamps, advises Petra Kunze.
Concluding the screens, the eyes are therefore strained. In order to calm them down and relax from the aggressiveness of light, the ophthalmologist recommends two eye yoga exercises.
The first that palming, consists of relaxing the shoulders and rubbing the palms together. Place your palms on your cheekbones and your palms in front of your eyes. Hold the position for two minutes. “This allows us to take a break,” comments the specialist.
The second exercise consists of taking your eyes off the screen, looking at the horizon, and then back to your screen. “It relaxes the eye muscles that focus. The latter get tired when they are always focused on the same goal,” informs the doctor. In addition, it is strongly recommended to take a 15-minute break every two hours during work, preferably without a smartphone.
Correct body position
Headaches are also often associated with poor computer posture. “The back muscles get tight and that affects the spine and the cervix. When the latter are blocked, we expose ourselves to a headache,” explains Petra Kunze.
To get the right posture in front of the computer, you need to adjust the height of the seat to create the right angle at knee level. When using the keyboard, the elbows should also form a right angle, and the wrists should not be “broken”. For good performance, the ophthalmologist recommends placing a mouse pad with a pillow to rest the wrist. The head should be straight, and the eyes should look at the middle of the screen, so as not to strain the shoulders. We also watch the screen at a distance of 1 meter from us (ideal according to the doctor), even if it means increasing the font. Finally, since headaches are also associated with muscle tension, it is important to move regularly throughout the day.
Moisturize your eyes
Petra Kunze reminds that one of the main causes of headaches is dehydration. But the eye can also suffer from lack of water. Itchy, burning, or raw eyes are a sign of dry eye. “Then we have to renew our tear film, that is, the moist surface of the eye, because without the secretion of fluid, we make the eyes see more clearly, which causes headaches.” To avoid this, blink your eyes more often or moisten them with saline solution.
Review your optical correction
If the headaches are regular, it may be time to see an ophthalmologist. “When you work on a screen, you have to have absolutely good vision,” warns Petra Kunze. Glasses adapted to your vision help you to be pain free, even if you only need a minor correction.
What about blue light blocking glasses? “They remain controversial, but 85% of my patients who wear glasses with anti-blue light filters tell me that their headaches have since stopped,” testifies the eye doctor. You still need to buy your frames from an optician to get good quality glass, he says.
(1) My screen and me. put an end to fatigueco-authored by Petra Kunze, Editions Flammarion, 160 p., €16.90.
In the video: How much time do your children spend in front of screens?
Source: Le Figaro
