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Ask HN: How do you keep your eyes in healthy?

3 points by tuyguntn 12y ago

Most of the HNers are working in IT related field, after while your eye vision will decrease, how do you keep them in healthy or if you use glasses how are you going to make them more healthy?

mtmail 12y ago
My optician told me spending long hours (in dark or sunlight) in front of a television doesn't make your eyesight go bad. It's a common myth. The main reason is simply aging. I heard eye drops are sometimes needed because you blink less when staring at code. Personally I've never used them.
- crazypyro 12y ago
  While that permanent damage is still contested, its true that your eyes can become strained and sore from focusing on a single distance though, so you should still take regular breaks to avoid discomfort, even if there isn't permanent damage. Also the lens of your eye can become weaker and make focusing on further objects harder. There are eye exercises that are mostly centered around alternating focus on near and far objects you can do to stretch the lens. A very simple exercise to to take something small that has writing on it like a pencil and find something else that is about 10 meters away and also has writing on it and go through the letters on the smaller object while alternating focusing on the far object between each letter. You can do this a few times, moving the small object closer to your face each time. You will feel your eyes get tired very quickly if they are out of shape.
arepavlov 12y ago
The Pomodoro technique serves me well in this instance. Frequent breaks are good for your eyes, back, circulation and overall health. My tool of choice http://pomodoro.trevorlandau.net/ http://pomodoro.trevorlandau.net/
chatmasta 12y ago
If you have a mac, try Flux [0] for adjusting the color ambience of your screen based on time of day. In general, keep the lights on, don't code in the dark. High contrast between your desktop and environment is bad. Keep your eyes at least an arm's length away from your monitor. Source: I have 20/20 vision and have been addicted to computers my whole life. [0] https://justgetflux.com/ https://justgetflux.com/
- deadfall 12y ago
  Flux is on Windows and Linux, as well.
- computerjunkie 12y ago
  Flux has saved my eyes. Not using computers/tablets after 8.pm and little/no use of computers during the weekends has reduced/stopped my eye strain I had developed from staring at the monitor too much.
- lumberjack 12y ago
  For GNU/Linux there is also redshift which works just as well.
toto123 12y ago
> after while your eye vision will decrease source? I don't believe this and I'm not experiencing it after 10+ years spent heavily in front of computer screens. Ask an ophtalmologist.
- tuyguntn 12y ago
  I dont have exact source, but common myth is staring at one point while you are coding, your eyes focus will be adopted to the distance between you and your monitor, muscles inside the eyes will be adopted to less frequent movement and this will cause dropping eyesight. whole body functions in this manner, if you train your muscles they will get bigger, otherwise they will stay as it is and after while you will not be able to muscle power for 100% thats why people are training their brain, muscles and etc,.
- crazypyro 12y ago
  Eye vision decreases over time, but its thought to be due to the natural aging process.
motyar 12y ago
<Blink> more
kmt_technical 12y ago
Eyes are muscles and like with any muscle your eyes can experience fatigue. It's just good to give them periodic rest periods. If you're older, computer glasses can help. Again, don't code using low light, keep the room bright so as to prevent strain.
emilburzo 12y ago
I use dark themes wherever possible.

3 points by tuyguntn 12y ago

Most of the HNers are working in IT related field, after while your eye vision will decrease, how do you keep them in healthy or if you use glasses how are you going to make them more healthy?

mtmail 12y ago

My optician told me spending long hours (in dark or sunlight) in front of a television doesn't make your eyesight go bad. It's a common myth. The main reason is simply aging. I heard eye drops are sometimes needed because you blink less when staring at code. Personally I've never used them.

crazypyro 12y ago
While that permanent damage is still contested, its true that your eyes can become strained and sore from focusing on a single distance though, so you should still take regular breaks to avoid discomfort, even if there isn't permanent damage. Also the lens of your eye can become weaker and make focusing on further objects harder. There are eye exercises that are mostly centered around alternating focus on near and far objects you can do to stretch the lens. A very simple exercise to to take something small that has writing on it like a pencil and find something else that is about 10 meters away and also has writing on it and go through the letters on the smaller object while alternating focusing on the far object between each letter. You can do this a few times, moving the small object closer to your face each time. You will feel your eyes get tired very quickly if they are out of shape.

arepavlov 12y ago

The Pomodoro technique serves me well in this instance. Frequent breaks are good for your eyes, back, circulation and overall health. My tool of choice http://pomodoro.trevorlandau.net/ http://pomodoro.trevorlandau.net/

chatmasta 12y ago

If you have a mac, try Flux [0] for adjusting the color ambience of your screen based on time of day. In general, keep the lights on, don't code in the dark. High contrast between your desktop and environment is bad. Keep your eyes at least an arm's length away from your monitor. Source: I have 20/20 vision and have been addicted to computers my whole life. [0] https://justgetflux.com/ https://justgetflux.com/

deadfall 12y ago
Flux is on Windows and Linux, as well.
computerjunkie 12y ago
Flux has saved my eyes. Not using computers/tablets after 8.pm and little/no use of computers during the weekends has reduced/stopped my eye strain I had developed from staring at the monitor too much.
lumberjack 12y ago
For GNU/Linux there is also redshift which works just as well.

toto123 12y ago

> after while your eye vision will decrease source? I don't believe this and I'm not experiencing it after 10+ years spent heavily in front of computer screens. Ask an ophtalmologist.

tuyguntn 12y ago
I dont have exact source, but common myth is staring at one point while you are coding, your eyes focus will be adopted to the distance between you and your monitor, muscles inside the eyes will be adopted to less frequent movement and this will cause dropping eyesight. whole body functions in this manner, if you train your muscles they will get bigger, otherwise they will stay as it is and after while you will not be able to muscle power for 100% thats why people are training their brain, muscles and etc,.
crazypyro 12y ago
Eye vision decreases over time, but its thought to be due to the natural aging process.

motyar 12y ago

<Blink> more

kmt_technical 12y ago

Eyes are muscles and like with any muscle your eyes can experience fatigue. It's just good to give them periodic rest periods. If you're older, computer glasses can help. Again, don't code using low light, keep the room bright so as to prevent strain.

emilburzo 12y ago

I use dark themes wherever possible.