My husband often comes home from work at his computer all day complaining that his eyes are “bugging out.” This is one complaint associated with eye strain, in addition to dry, red, itchy, or tired eyes. If you spend a lot of time on a computer, you may have experienced these symptoms yourself. Here are a few suggestions for reducing eye strain and its associated symptoms:

1. Ensure there is adequate, indirect lighting in your area.

2. Avoid glare on your computer screen. You do not want your monitor to be opposite or directly in front of a large window or light source. Using window blinds, light filters, or an anti-glare computer screen can correct these problems.

3. Your monitor should be positioned directly in front of you, about 18-30 inches away from you. In addition, the top of the monitor should be roughly at eye level.

4. Give your eyes a break. At least every 30 minutes, look away from your computer and focus on something else for a minute. This allows your eyes to relax, most likely will allow you to blink more than you do when staring at your monitor, and provides all the eye muscles with a much deserved rest.