I am Planning on Working 15-Hour Days Over the Next Few Days. How Can I Reduce Eye Strain?

I keep my lights off.. That's just me though.

Caleb

You need to take regular breaks and also site your computer in a place where you can focus on distant objects... might be difficult at night. Keep yourself well hydrated with water and remember to eat to keep energy levels up.

Regular breaks are the way to go.

If you have a window, look out of it every now and then, focus on something in the distance. This will allow your vision to expand beyond your computer screen.

Also go and relax, have a cup of tea every few hours.

15 hour days without eye-strain are easy.

Just don't constantly stare at the screen all day

Now my eyes hurt now you've mentioned it..!

Grr lol

Hi James,
Take regular breaks to look around at other things.

Every couple of hours (if you have Vista or Windows 7) press control and the plus sign
(CTRL+) to increase the size of the screen fonts. Doing this every couple of hours will
help relieve the strain on your eyes.

Hope that Helps,
Have a Great Day!
Michael

I'm on a computer in one way or the other *ALL DAY*. (everyday.)

Invest on dual 27" monitors. Having big monitors SERIOUSLY aids eye strain.

Another idea is to make your resolution SMALLER (so the size of the screen is BIGGER.)

800x600 is easier on the eyes than 1200x800

If you can't spring for big monitors, just take breaks and make the resolution smaller (so everything appears BIGGER.). (I'm blind as hell and I don't have too much of a problem. Rest your eyes every so often.)

can you make that image smaller.

Thanks

Caleb

The best invention in the world Google

I use monitor filters for the all nighters and they really help with the eyestrain.

Print out a picture of a scantily clad Jessica Alba and place it a few feet to the left of your computer screen.

Your eyes should now be getting regular breaks.

Thank me later.

Just turn down the contrast ratio on your monitor...and from time to time take little breaks...and drink some orange/apple juice lol...it all works

adjust the monitor for eye comfort! My eyes are used to having lights on but some prefer to be in the dark I used to do that but it made my eyes burns and feel strained. 15 hours of work is a great way to get a jump start on your project good luck!!

Use the 20/20/20 rule

Every 20 minutes, focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Works wonders!

http://www.labnol.org/software/compu...xercise/14069/

Be careful, it could be fatal - blood clots, DVT etc!

Seriously though - take breaks. I'd say you need 2 big breaks (30 min+) in 15 hr shift and many small ones.

Also from a productivity point of view not taking breaks will make you less productive. It's not the number of hours it is what you produce. Sometimes I find a few minutes away from the PC and I figure out a better way to solve a problem.

Monday through Friday I am on the computer for at least 11 hours a day. 8 hours at work and then another 3 to 4 hours at home. You just need to take breaks. While I may be on the computer for that many hours, its not like I'm starring at the screen that long.

It's not eye strain I would be worried about, and contrary to Caleb I do better with the lights on - which will be evident in a moment...

Stress, strain, fatigue, injuries and simply being physically and mentally exhausted can be dramatically reduced, if not virtually eliminated, if you learn some basic ergonomic principles. One quick way to get started is:
OSHA Ergonomic Solutions: Computer Workstations eTool

Other studies indicate that the optimal time is 60-90 minutes interleaved with 10-15 minute breaks. Others indicate that efficiency drops off drastically after 9 or 10 hours - so that 45-60 minute break for an unhurried meal is vital. All of them indicate that maximum efficiency is
in NOT imitating a one task robot! Breaking things up, changing the task, changing the pace seems to help.

Unfortunately, without knowledge or training in ergonomics you probably don't have the optimal set up. I have monitor with an adjustable height and tilt - both of which I adjust when I'm sitting up close and straight or leaning back in my chair. The tricky part is when I want to stand - it's not so bad to look down and adjust the tilt on the monitor, but the keyboard is just a bit too high when I put it on top of the mini-tower PC and work from that end of the table. My solution worked out to be a wooden platform after trying telephone books, etc.

Not a crass commercial message, but one of the best investments I've made is an Ott reading lamp. So much so, that I bought one for my piano as well! These are as close as it gets to "perfect" natural skylight.

Take breaks in between; you need to have some breaks if you are planning to work more than 10 hours a day. It can be strenuous to your eyes if for the whole 15 hours, you are staring at your monitor. And most people who said that they are working 15 hours a day doesn't necessarily mean for 15 hours straight, there breaks in between that like going to the bathroom or taking some off for a snack.
I would go with the idea of placing your computer near a window so your eyes would not only be staring at the monitor. In my case, I have my computer placed near a window, since I can at times generate some ideas while glancing and looking at things, people and the happening outside the window.
And also, you have to take your meals on time and never skip meals just because you are working online. My last suggestion to you is have some exercise, since I have read some article that sitting for a long time often results to muscle pain in the neck and back area.

When i still had a full time job as a developer, when i got back home i was working part time IM...

So it was like 15 hours everyday in from on the screen.

Never got eye strain, well i take breaks every 20 minutes. (break my tasks in smaller ones)

Cheers,

~Gary

Blink

Didn't see this basic mentioned, really there's a tendency to not blink when staring at a screen, resulting in dry eyes, I've experienced some of the complications of dry eye.

Here's a nice lengthy guide

HyperOptics Optometry - Computer Eyestrain: 10 Steps for Relief

For anyone who can't resist an opt-in form, this guy offers a booklet
EyeStrain.com.au

There are tinted, anti-reflective, UV filtering glasses said to help
Computer Glasses, Computer Reading Glasses, Computer Eyewear from Dr. Stuart Grant, O.D. Try Risk free.

Regular breaks, as plenty of other people have said, but also make sure the room you're in is well lit. I find that if the room is dark and I'm staring at a super bright screen it strains my eyes, but when I have the lights on and the screen is at the same brightness as the world around me my eyes are a lot better.

Try some eye drops and sunglasses -- in addition to the other suggestions above. Sunglasses helped me. You cannot just sit forever at a computer, that's bad for your health. Get up regularly and get some exercise, do some stretching, go eat, etc. Plain ice water, with or without a lemon or other fruit, is good to stay hydrated.

I experience a similar problem with pains in my frontal parts of the head (which are related to muscle strain of the muscles on the back of the neck). So if you are getting headaches and getting dizzy, I would suggest sitting better (better posture). Also, you could buy a screen protector that minimizes the intensity of the screen OR you could reduce the intensity of the screen in the actual monitor (kind of like if you have an iphone, you can reduce the brightness of the screen).

Hope this helps you!

Solution:
Break
look around for few seconds
using guide on the screen or using glass yourself

Take breaks...at during these moments gently massage your eyeballs, around eyes and bridge of the nose using warmed hands (you can do this by soaking them in lukewarm water). Also make sure you drink lots of fluid and minimize the glare from the lights around and from the computer.

Before you start each day dont run straight to your computer.

Grab a coffee or tea, then sit outside and give your eyes at least 20 minutes to "warm up"

I do this every day and it definitely helps.

Be sure to keep your carbs up too, and avoid simple sugars.

Working 15 hours a day means your eyes wil get weak early. Take regular breaks to look around at other things. There are many things to do. After 10 hours take break & if you want to work 15 hours then apply the eyes protection guard on the your PC screen.

Lower your screen level to eye level or slightly lower and turn your back light down. This really helps

Regular breaks and look outside at a distant green trees. usually it would help tremendously

Not that I'd want to do such a long shift.

But take a break every hour and look at something far away to change the focus of your eyes for at least 5 minutes.

Sam

have alot of redbull or other energy drinks, turn the brightness on ur screen down alot, keep artificial lights off. take a 5 minute brake every hour and do some form of excercise in that 5 minutes, drink a fair amount of water, try not to eat too much junk food, bananas are very good as they release energy slowly.
Hope i helped