Have you been wondering what protecting your eyes from laptop screen glare is all about?
Everybody in the world today makes use of electronic gadgets which range from computers, video games, tablets, and smartphones in their everyday activities.
During the lockdown period, many companies, universities, and even secondary and primary schools made use of computers, laptops, and some other visual display screens to perform their jobs or to learn.
During this period, few people were bothered about the effects of computer, or laptop screen glares (dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, and eye twitching, etc.) while using the system, as everyone wanted to just complete their jobs and school work respectively.
For a proper understanding of what a laptop screen glare is all about, I will be defining the term glare.
What is a glare?
A glare is a very harsh,bright, and dazzling light.
Simply put, a glare is an excessive contrast between dark and bright surfaces, which affects visual performances.
What is a laptop screen glare?
A laptop screen occurs, when light hits a laptop screen, and reflects emitting rays that irritate the eyes.
“A laptop screen glare is not just caused by the brightness of the screen itself, but is also the reflections on the screen from indoor light sources (lamps, light bulbs, etc.), and from outdoor sources as well (sunlight from the windows)”.
Note: Laptop screen glare affects all laptops, except those protected with anti-screen glare covers.
Why should I protect my eyes from laptop screen glares?
The most important or essential reason as to why we should protect our eyes from laptop screen glares is the discomfort it brings to us when we are using a laptop not protected against screen glares.
The other reasons why we should protect our eyes from laptop screen glare includes;
- Laptop screen glares lower the reading speed of the eyes.
- Laptop screen glares affect the trapezius muscle (the muscle used to tilt and turn the head and neck, shrug, steady the shoulders, and twist the arms.)
- Laptop screen glares place excess demand on a user’s vision causing eye strain.
- Laptop screen glare stresses the human eye to consistently adjust to the contrast between dark and bright areas, giving rise to symptoms such as headaches and migraines.
- Laptop screen glare affects the muscle and neck of a laptop user.
How to protect your eyes from laptop screen glares.
There are various ways to protect your eyes from laptop screen glares regardless of where you are using your laptop which may be outdoor or indoor. These ways are not very expensive or difficult, and they are highly beneficial to you. They are as follows;
- Try using anti-glare glasses (for those who use glasses) or anti-glare screens.
Anti-glare screens have improved visual clarity. They reduce eye strain and also lessen blue light exposure.
The anti-glare screens diffuse the excess bright light from the screen and reduce screen glare, which causes serious eye problems.
Although the anti-glare screens diffuse light. However, it does not diffuse all of the bright light on the laptop screen.
- Adjust your laptop position, if it’s in front of an open window, or door or if you are working with it outdoors, under no shade. Or if you are working with it when you are directly under a light source (light bulb, lamp) indoors.
Why it’s advisable to always tilt or swivel your laptop from direct lights, or to go under a shade if you are working outside, it’s so that the bright light does not reflect on your screen while you are working, because it could cause eye strain.
Note: curtains can also be used to cover the bright light sources. For example; Windows, and doors.
- Try to wear dark shades of clothing if you are working outdoors with your laptop, although it might be uncomfortable especially if it’s a sunny day.
But it’s advisable to wear dark shades of clothing because they don’t reflect light the way light-shaded clothes reflect light. Light shades of clothing reflect light that hits them pretty bad.
- Another way to protect your eyes from laptop screen glares is by making them brighter. Sounds counterintuitive I know. But, hear me out.
By making it brighter, you attack the light reflecting on your laptop screen by the laptop’s own light.
Though this method is not really efficient, as it doesn’t stop the glare entirely, it however makes it easier to see what you are working on, without you squinting.
- Try to adjust the color temperature of your laptop to make it less blue.
Blue light from laptop screens, damages rods, and cones in the eyes affecting the night vision and color vision abilities of the eyes. Blue light also causes eye strain.
In order to protect your eyes, always ensure you adjust the color temperature of your laptop to make it less blue because it prevents eye strain.
- Try not to forget about protecting your eyes internally, as you are protecting them externally.
Protecting your eyes internally involves the intake of vegetables and foods that are nutritious for the eyes.
Nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin found in foods like parsley, and green peas which are plant nutrients, help in reducing eye strains from laptop screen glares. It is advisable to consume foods rich in these nutrients regularly.
- Always try to take frequent breaks, when working on your laptop. In order to prevent eye strains, and protect the eyes, it is advisable to always take breaks while working on a laptop.
It is advisable to stare away from your laptop screen for twenty seconds, after every twenty minutes, because doing this protects the eye.
The Human eye is vitally important, and it is advisable to protect them from harmful lights, like the laptop screen glare.
