We spend our lives in front of screens. Between working, FaceTiming with friends, getting stuck into Netflix marathons and of course, endless smartphone scrolling: our research shows that the average adult spends about 34 years of their lives staring at digital devices. This is obviously amplified with the lifestyle changes brought by social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. To say that this takes a toll on your eye health is an understatement: eye strain (or computer vision syndrome), the culprit behind tired eyes, double vision and headaches can really affect our day to day lives. But don’t worry, we’re not about to ask you to lock your phone away and cover up your computer screen just yet.
Looking after your eye care and wellbeing is more important than ever, so our in-house opticians have put together a series of eye exercises to soothe tired eyes, strengthen eye muscles, improve circulation and generally keep symptoms of eye strain at bay. All you need to do is take a break from screens and put your favourite playlist or podcast on - think of it as a quick way of recharging.
A little bit of housekeeping before we get started: these are not exercises to correct vision problems such as myopia or astigmatism. Be wary of someone who promises you that, because the only way to correct these eye conditions is with contact lenses or eyewear. Whether you wear dailies, two-weeklies, or monthlies, if you’re looking for ways to energise tired eyes, soothe digital eye strain, improve circulation around the eyes, and above all, relax: you’ve come to the right place.
