With ever-increasing amounts of work being done on computers  - both at home and in the office, symptoms of tired eyes, dry eyes, and eyestrain are becoming more prevalent. 

There are a range of causes for these frustrating symptoms. People blink less often when looking at computer screens, and office environments can be quite dry, and air conditioning vents can be placed poorly. It is also easy to look at screens for too long without a break, which can be a lot of strain on the focussing muscles in the eye.

The use of multiple screens can also add a level of complexity and lead to eye strain if your vision is not optimised for the set up.

So what can you do?

First of all, set yourself up for success: Ergonomics can play a huge role in making the work environment comfortable and productive. This includes making sure the screen height is right for your posture, as well as your vision - different types of glasses can have different areas in the lens to view desktop screens and paperwork. It may be worth seeing your optometrist to discuss which type of lens is best suited for you and your situation, as there is no one-type-fits-all solution.

Another good rule to implement is the 20-20-20 rule - every 20 minutes, look at an object or landscape 20 metres away, for at least 20 seconds. This gives the focussing muscles in the eye a break from looking at the same distance for too long.

If symptoms persist, dry eyes may need to be managed in a multitude of ways - your optometrist will be able to do a dry eye assessment to see what needs to be done next.