Do Your Eyes A Favor

Anyone who has spent a few hours sitting at a computer is familiar with the burning, scratchy feeling you get in your eyes. There's a lesser known consequence that our eyes suffer from staring at screens, whether they be computer, tablet or smartphone — namely, a reduction in depth and peripheral vision.
You don't have to be an optometrist to understand that, if for hours each day your visual field is limited to only several inches (the distance between your eyes and screen), then your brain's ability to perceive depth and side vision is likely going to be negatively impacted. It's not far-fetched to correlate this compromise in vision to increased risks in auto accidents as well as slip and falls.
Our vision is the primary sense we rely on for balance, stabilization, and spatial awareness. As we age, these abilities become progressively worse, but because of our overabundance of screen time, we're experiencing a sharp decline in these abilities at younger ages. As a health coach and fitness trainer, I've worked with people in their late teens and early twenties who struggle to stand on one leg and have little body awareness; their lack of balance skills are those of someone much older. The last thing we want is to actively degrade our visual acuity, and in doing so, increase the likelihood of suffering a serous fall or other event that can lead to injury.
Our screens are going nowhere, so what can we do to enhance our depth and peripheral vision? The easiest thing is to take a walk outside and look around, really look around and do it regularly. Study objects, both near and far, and take notice of their details. Then, become aware of what you see in your periphery; cars and people going by, birds flying, etc. You may be surprised by how foreign it feels to use this visual field, so get used to it by using it frequently. I routinely try to read license plates from varying distances, and I'll count how many floors the tall office buildings in my neighborhood have (may not sound like a lot of fun but it definitely works the eyes and brain).
Another classic vision exercise is to hold a pencil a few inches from your eyes, then look past the pencil at an object further away, like a picture on the wall. As you gaze at the distant object, take notice that the pencil has “split in two”. Exchange your gaze between the pencil and distant object for about a minute, ideally for every hour of screen time.
Reducing eye stress is equally as important in maintaining healthy, functional vision and a way to do this is through an activity called Palming. Palming is done by:
1. Placing your elbows on a table and leaning forward comfortably.
2. Closing your eyes and placing the palm of your left hand over your left eye with your fingers on your forehead and the heel of your hand on your cheekbone, doing the same with the right hand and right eye.
3. Taking several deep breaths, allowing your eyes and body to relax.

Optometrists recommend doing this exercise as frequently as you like.
Most importantly, after completing one, two, or all of these activities, pat yourself on the back for having done something good for yourself, your eyes, and your brain.