Did you know – sight is the sense people fear losing the most, yet many of us don’t know how to look after our eyes?

Well, in support of National Eye Health Week, we have teamed up with Helen Brown, Campaigns and Grants Manager at Beacon Centre, to share with you some top tips around good eye health and how to look after your eyes…

 

“We’ve all had to get used to doing things differently the past few months…

One thing we are all doing more of is screen time. In fact, it’s a huge amount more, Ofcom say at the height of lockdown we were spending an average of six hours and 25 minutes each day just watching TV and online content, that’s almost 45 hours a week (and up on almost a third on last year).

If you are wincing internally at the moment thinking that’s probably you, just take a second to think about how much screen time you are actually having, when you factor in work, never ending emails and social media scrolling.  If you are anything like me it is probably a scary amount.

I get it, I really do. Sometimes it is a case of whatever it takes to get you through the day and as with most things at the moment we need to give ourselves a break and relax the rules a little.

But if you are honest there are probably days when you have really felt it, perhaps a headache that won’t shift, you’re rubbing your eyes before tackling the next set of emails or you feel the need to put down your phone because your eyes are just too tired to even look.

Here’s our top tips for how to look after your eyes, they are really simple to follow and I promise your eyes will feel better for it.

 

  1. Take breaks from the screen 📺

It sounds pretty obvious right? We all know that putting that phone done and stopping yourself from mindless social media scrolling is harder than it sounds though. But it will make a difference so why not put the phone down for a couple of nights a week or switch the TV off that bit earlier. You could listen to a podcast, take a bath or even actually phone someone for a chat.

 

  1. 20-20-20 💻

I know you probably don’t want to hear anyone utter 2020 again eh? But at least it is an easy way to remember the 20-20-20 rule. It’s basically this, if you are using a computer for any length of time, every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It will give your eye muscles a much-needed break.

 

  1. Check your lighting 💡

You might have set yourself up an amazing home working space or perhaps you have found yourself on a new desk back at work, but have you checked the lighting? Don’t sit in the dark but make sure you don’t have any lighting directly behind your screen either – as it will just make it harder to read.

 

  1. Positioning 🪑

You have probably had your laptop out in the craziest of places in recent months (particularly if you’re struggling to get your Wi-Fi signal) but whether you are balancing it on your knees, the end of the bed or even the kitchen top make sure it’s in the right position. It should be 18-24 inches away from you and just below your eye level, so you aren’t looking up at your screen.

 

  1. Text size

It’s all about being big and bold when it comes to your text. If you are squinting to read it then just increase the size, it makes things that little bit easier. It’s not just text, you can have a play with the contrast on your computer to change the background and text colours to find the contrast that works best for you.

 

Give some of these tips a go and let us know how you get on, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter @BeaconCentre, we’d love to hear your stories 🙌”

 

Wow – thanks so much to Helen and the Beacon team! We’re sure our readers will find those tips super helpful, it’s so important that we all take care of our Eye Health 😊

Remember, there’s plenty more you can do to look after your eyes (don’t forget to book an eye test each year) but this is a quick and easy starting point and you will feel the benefit of doing it. And don’t forget, even if you do not wear glasses, it is important to take care of your eyes.

As a Paycare Policyholder, you can claim back 100% of your optical costs each year (up to an annual limit) and this includes a range of treatments and services from eye tests and laser eye surgery to prescription safety glasses and contact lenses 👓
You can find out more about what’s covered on your plan by visiting your MyPaycare login area.

 

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Beacon Centre is a well-established local charity which provides support and advice to visually impaired people living across the Black Country, Staffordshire and parts of Shropshire.

The Beacon Centre provides a range of services including activity programmes, life skills, digital and IT training, health and wellbeing, low vision advice, residential services, and domiciliary care in the community services. You can learn more about the charity, the services they provide and how you can support them by heading to their website: www.beaconvision.org 🧡