{"id":354,"date":"2022-09-28T21:18:30","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T02:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/?p=354"},"modified":"2023-07-08T16:18:07","modified_gmt":"2023-07-08T21:18:07","slug":"prevent-eye-strain-do-you-honor-the-20-20-20-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/prevent-eye-strain-do-you-honor-the-20-20-20-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"Prevent Eye Strain: Do You Honor The 20-20-20 Rule?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our screen-based lifestyles have increased the cases of eye strain we see in our optometry offices. If you\u2019re someone who spends the majority of your time on screens for work or pleasure, start practicing the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye strain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Detect And Prevent Eye Strain<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye strain is more than just a nuisance or discomfort; it\u2019s a sign your eyes are working too hard. This perpetual strain leads to preventable vision loss. Taking care of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/healthy-lifestyle-choices-for-eye-health\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your body and your eyes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are the foundation of vision health and reduce the speed at which you experience age-related eye conditions or increased dependency on eyeglasses and contact lenses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signs Of Eye Strain<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following is a list of the symptoms or sensations accompanying eye strain. We also recommend reviewing this list with young children and teenagers. Children frequently experience undetected <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/how-often-should-i-schedule-an-eye-exam\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eye strain or vision loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because their adaptive brains don\u2019t recognize it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequent headaches (especially during or after reading or screen time)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Red, watering, or irritated eyes that aren\u2019t <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/10-reasons-you-have-red-eyes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">linked to an infection or eye trauma<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of any kind<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The need to blink frequently to focus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased light sensitivity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling tired or fatigued (especially in the eyes or areas around the eye)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty focusing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry eyes (more on that later)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/5-reasons-to-avoid-rubbing-your-eyes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently rubbing your eyes<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sore neck, shoulders, or back (we often tense our body without knowing it when we\u2019re straining to see clearly)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tilting the head to see better<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Winking or holding one eye closed to focus<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any or all are worth a call to an optometrist, especially if you haven\u2019t had an eye exam in 12 months or more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice The 20-20-20 Rule<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best ways to give your eyes a break to prevent eye strain is called the 20-20-20 rule. This rule supports healthy eyes for those who read, game or spend more than 20 minutes at a time on a screen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>20 Minutes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Set a timer for 20-minutes. When the timer goes off - take a break.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>20 Feet:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Look up and away from your book, computer, or TV and gaze at least 20 feet into the distance. If you have a window nearby, we recommend shifting your gaze outdoors, which soothes the eye and the nervous system. Take a few deep breaths while you\u2019re at it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>20 Seconds: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take that vision break - gazing 20 feet away or more - for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20 full seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20-20-20 is a rule of thumb. As optometrists who see our fair share of eye strain each day, we challenge you to make it a 20-20-30 or 20-20-60 rule, giving your hard-working eyes the quality break they need. If you are a parent, model this rule in front of your children. If you\u2019re on screens at the same time, make the break a family affair.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20-20-20 Bonus Practices<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned above, a healthy body and lifestyle are the foundations of healthy eyes and vision. During those breaks, we recommend adding some bonus practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do some gentle stretching<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gazing at least 20 feet into the distance is a \u201cstretch\u201d for the eyes. As long as you\u2019re taking a break, why not do some whole-body stretching? In addition to just plain feeling good, the correct stretches can ease your aching neck, shoulder, and back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tAUf7aajBWE\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yoga at Your Desk<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> routine. Try this<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tzIJfCMBBRs\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five Minute Desk Workout<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you want something more invigorating<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How about eye yoga to help prevent eye strain?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yep, that\u2019s right. There are specific eye stretches and eye exercises that work wonders for soothing and relieving strained or tired eyes. Try <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UP1WpOa82R4\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye Yoga: Five Eye Exercises\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and see how you feel. You can also speak to your optometrist about eye exercises that relieve eye strain and improve vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry eyes? Add a few drops of artificial tears (without preservatives)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/dry-eye-symptoms-and-relief\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">suffer from dry eyes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? It\u2019s becoming an epidemic due to tired, overworked eyes. Use a few of those breaks each day to treat your eyes with extra hydration and lubrication in the form of preservative-free eye drops. Examples of those include Systane, Refresh, TheraTears, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look specifically for bottles that advertise \u201cpreservative-free\u201d or \u201cno preservatives.\u201d This is because preservatives and chemicals can actually exacerbate dry eye or cause you to become dependent on eye drops. You can also ask your optometrist which type of eye drops they recommend based on your most frequent symptoms of eye strain.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make Preventing Eye Strain A Priority For Children<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can\u2019t emphasize enough how important it is that you keep an eye on your children\u2019s vision. Schedule pediatric eye exams annually for all school-aged children. A child\u2019s eye strain and vision problems are not always as obvious as you think. For example, we\u2019ve had children who thought headaches were just a \u201cnormal part of learning.\u201d We can\u2019t tell you how many children figured eyeglasses wouldn\u2019t help them because they tried some of their friends\u2019 glasses and \u201cthey didn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to the physical signs and symptoms of eye strain, we listed above, children with vision issues are more prone to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of focus in class (especially when they aren\u2019t seated close to the board)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Behavioral issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delayed reading<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A dislike of school, reading, and\/or homework<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling they are stupid or don\u2019t understand things like others do<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor test performance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Falling asleep in class<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intentionally misbehaving to get out of the classroom<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A single eye exam and the right eyeglasses prescription may be all your child needs to gain confidence in the classroom environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suspect You Or Your Child Suffer From Eye Strain?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scheduling an eye exam or a consult with an optometrist is one of the best ways to prevent further eye strain. Contact <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye to Eye Family Vision Care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to schedule your appointment, and we\u2019ll find solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our screen-based lifestyles have increased the cases of eye strain we see in our optometry offices. If you\u2019re someone who spends the majority of your time on screens for work or pleasure, start practicing the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye strain.\u00a0 Detect And Prevent Eye Strain Eye strain is more than just a nuisance or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Prevent Eye Strain: Do You Honor The 20-20-20 Rule? | Eye To Eye","_seopress_titles_desc":"Screen-based lifestyles cause eye strain. Protect healthy vision by honoring the 20-20-20 rule. Read more about how to prevent eye strain, headaches, and fatigue.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":362,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions\/362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}