stare at screen <12hrs/day

I usually obsess over my masters classes, but now that I want to spend time with someone else and do other things I have gotten away from the frenetic computer usage.

Partly it’s because I now share my computer with someone else, partly because I have decided to strictly limit the time spent working on this darned thesis.

Otherwise I will go (more) insane.

I’ve been staring at computer screens for 20+ years. All my friends who also stare too long at screens are using visual correction of some sort now, except me. I still have 20/20 vision.

Aside from being lucky enough to have good eyesite to begin with, as a child I was taught to life draw and shown about the movement of the eye and how we use it to see.

To keep eye muscles in trim, you need to move between things close to and things away on a fairly regular basis. Aside from glare and radiation, and general eye-strain, headaches etc., staring at arms-length away screens means you don’t have to refocus and your eyes get weak and lazy.

A solution: every so often, if you can, look across the room, out the window or whatever, then focus right back to your nose tip. Do this a few times a day. Remember to ease up the muscles in your face around your eyes too, that also helps.

To retain dignity, don’t let anyone see you pulling these faces.

• Spend less time online