How To Reduce Computer Eye Strain and Improve Your Vision

The first sign Peter Parker had become Spiderman was improved vision. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter reached for his glasses and slid them on his nose. Everything appeared blurred. His prescription was useless with his now perfect vision. He also had some other interesting lifestyle changes, such as climbing walls and shooting webs. Yet whenever he becomes stressed these powers diminish and he invariably reaches for his spectacles.

Don't we all go through these types of visual fluctuations? When work requires reading, writing or design, eyestrain is a hindrance both to speed and efficiency. And that translates into poorer results and less pay. A 1999 Occupational Safety and Health Administration study showed 90% of those who use computers for more than three hours a day suffer from vision problems. And as we get older and continue to strain our eyes, the result of the eyestrain becomes impossible to ignore.

Yet you can avoid and even reverse these problems. Mortals can share Spiderman's power over his vision. Look at the work of Dr. William Bates, a New York ophthalmologist from the late nineteenth century. He observed the visual behaviour of countless eyes, both human and animal. He discovered that people with poor sight daily achieve 20/20 vision for brief periods without noticing it. Eagles and cats have specific ways of seeing. He developed these findings into the Bates Method, which teaches how to mimic optimal visual behaviour.

Though Dr. Bates views were shunned in his time, they have become popular in our holistic century. Combined with modern ergonomics (the science of ones work environment) there exist powerful steps you can take to remove eyestrain and improve vision. It doesn't cost anything and takes almost no time. In fact you will save time because you'll work faster and better.

Your eyes are among your most important tools. Studies have shown eyestrain directly affects productivity, with fatigued vision causing misread research and proofreading mistakes. Your mind responds with grogginess and your body with weariness.

Experiment with the following tips and after a single day you'll notice a reduction in eyestrain. By the end of the week most people noticed their workdays ran smoother. After a month you'll probably find your vision is sharper.

Maximize Your Work Space for Greater Efficiency and Productivity