How to Help Your Eyesight With Monitor Adjustment

Your eyesight can be compromised for a number of reasons, some of which have nothing at all to do with eye disease. Computer-related eyestrain is a condition in which the afflicted may suffer from blurry vision, hypersensitivity to the light, and experience dryness, itching and burning in your eyes. Minor adjustments to your computer monitor can help relieve your symptoms and restore your normal eyesight.

Things You'll Need

• Yardstick
• Desk lamps
• Microfiber cloths
• Non-glare filter

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Instructions

• 1

  Adjust your computer monitor to the right height and distance for your body to help save your eyes from undue strain. Align the monitor so that the top of the screen is at eye-level. Set up the computer so the monitor is at least 20 inches away from your face. Laptop users may need to place their computers on a table, to ensure the correct measurements are met. If you are not the only one in your home using the computer, re-adjust the monitor each time you sit down to work or play.

• 2

  Reduce the glare around your computer monitor with side lighting. Glares on the screen can make your eyes work harder, contributing to the blurry vision and fatigue that can compromise your vision. Put desk lamps with soft lighting to the sides of the monitor. If space considerations prohibit this arrangement, turn off overhead lighting and work in a dark room.

• 3

  Experiment with the monitor's brightness and font-size settings, until you find both contrast and type-size that is comfortable to look at for extended periods of time. You might need to adjust these settings daily, depending on how tired your eyes are.

• 4

  Clean your computer monitor often with a microfiber dusting cloth. Dust can cause more of a glare, making your eyes work harder.

• 5

  Invest in a non-glare filter to cut back on uncomfortable reflections and glaring. These accessories are available as an attachable screen or cling, at most electronic stores.

• 6

  Take frequent breaks from computer work to give your eyes a rest and to restore your normal eyesight. For every 20 minutes of work, take a 20-second break and focus your eye on a focal point 20 feet away. MayoClinic.com refers to this as the 20/20/20 rule.