The fish stuff wont work for me, I'm a vegetarian ^_^

Some good tips though, but I won't call them easy, they ask a lot of changing your habits on your life and I think that is one of the hardest things you can.

Webshit

I eat roasted beets all the time. Mmmm delicious.

egosub2

@Ssscorpion: the point of lowering the monitor was more to maintain moisture than to make it easier to see.

And the vitamin A bit in the end. It's shocking that people still push this advice. Vitamin A does not improve night vision, it only improves vision, and not just night vision, for people with a vitamin A deficiency. Any adult eating an even remotely balanced diet should get more than enough vitamin A.

Othewise, this list had some helpful information and good tips.

Claystil

@Webshit: Unless you believe in an animal-driven religion, you are a vegetarian for health benefits. If you aren't getting a very important benefit, what's the point of avoiding it again? No offense, though, my way of writing is kind of offensive :ashamed:

Victor V.

Move your computer screen to just below eye level?

Why not do what I do? Press CTRL and roll your mouse wheel to make the text on-screen as big as you like?

It's a lot easier than changing the eye-level of your monitor.

Ssscorpion

This from an ophthalmologist friend: Since you're at your computer for hours at a time, remember to BLINK (and also remember to look away periodically).

Posco Grubb

Always good to see ways to make the hours at the computer a little less painful.

:D

Myles

@Posco Grubb: I used to work in the optical business and was going to say the same thing. A good product to try (if your doctor says it is ok) if you find that blinking just isn't enough is Systane.

nobodyzhome

@nobodyzhome: ahh, i love systane. at some point or another i bought all sorts of different brands, that's about the only one i can stand and that actually makes things feel less dry. so pricey though ><

crazylady

@Claystil: My problem with lowering the display is that I'd have to desk/wallmount my displays/laptops or build a special desk or buy a chair that can be raised higher plus stack a couple of books to put my keyboard on. or, alternatively, buy displays under 19-20"...or possibly several <19" displays to replace the current available screen real estate, but that's not too great for productivity. big displays just can't really sink into the desk that well.


the oddest thing in general is that when i'm wearing contacts my eyes don't dry out as fast as they do when i'm wearing glasses. it might be because its one of those special..er lenses specifically for people who complain of dry eyes while wearing contacts..or cause i'm fairly liberal with lubricants while driving. my ophthalmologist thinks that's very weird, especially given I'm prone to spending 12+ hours/day on the computer.

crazylady

Yay! Another Opto-related post. Regarding the fish... the point is to get omega-3's. For vegetarians, you can get omega-3's from flaxseed oil, so no fish products needed.

Another good reminder that has been alluded to is the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes while working at a computer, take 20 second to look 20 feet away. Look away and back at your computer for that 20 seconds. It'll help reduce eyestrain and reduce dry eye symptoms.

Systane is an excellent drop to relieve dry eye symptoms. Just make sure to buy the ones that are non-preserved, especially if you're a contact lens wearer. No prescription needed.

Just for those of you wondering why I'm an optogeek, I'm a student at an optometry school. Yay for eyes!

OptoGeek

@victor v
uh... you can be a vegetarian for moral reasons without it being some "animal-driven religion" (whatever that means). also, some people just don't like the taste/idea of meat, but don't adopt any moral stance about the issue.

bugmenot21

@Claystil: I think enlarging the text is a good tip too. I enlarge the text so my eyes don't have to strain to read a huge wall of text.

Poob

@Poob: I agree. I was just trying to clarify a point that had been misunderstood.

Claystil

One product I have found recently that works wonders is Clarymist (UK) and Tears Again Liposomal Lid Spray (USA).

It is a liposomal - so the same stuff as produced by your eye lids - spray, that is right, not drops! You simply spray a fine mist over your eye lid which softens and rehydrates your lids and corrects your tear film. It also contains Vitamin A and E.

It is slightly expensive, about £12.95 here in the UK but after a while you don't need to apply it so often and it has helped my eyes a lot from suffering dryness.

anudeglory

@bugmenot21: That's what I meant with animal-driven religions, religions that believe that animals are special, or that nature is "God" and we should only use the essentials from it.

Victor V.

wow, great article. It will help me a lots :)

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