Keys to good visual hygiene

Visual hygiene, although its name is a bit confusing, does not refer to proper cleaning of the eyes. No, it is a medical concept that goes beyond. It's about a set of simple rules that serve to control the factors that can cause some damage to vision.

That is, visual hygiene consists of changing certain habits, such as the distance before a book while reading, to take care of our eyesight. It is also called visual ergonomics.

These visual hygiene standards have become very necessary today.. Today, we spend almost all of our days in front of the mobile and computer screen, whether for work or custom.

All this makes our vision is increasingly problematic. The majority of the population ends up needing glasses at some point in their life, or suffers some kind of problem, such as tired eyesight, myopia or another.

Therefore, in this article we explain what visual hygiene consists of and what are those simple rules that can help you prevent or reduce vision problems.

Visual hygiene standards for work

Currently, most jobs are based on staying in an office in front of a computer or screen. Similarly, from a very young age, children spend hours and hours in front of a book or looking at the board in class.

This means that, during all these hours, we are continually forcing our sight. In addition, we do not even pay attention to our posture, nor do we allow our eyes to rest. All that can end up damaging our sense of vision.

Visual hygiene, when reading or writing, proposes a series of very simple rules. If you apply them, you will notice over time that at the end of the day your eyes don't bother you so much or that your vision has improved. Some of those rules are:

• You have to pay attention to the posture. This is especially relevant when it comes to children, since a bad postural habit can take its toll in the future. Ideally, sit with your back straight in a chair. The feet should touch the ground, and avoid being hunched over.
• This first rule leads us to another: you have to choose the workplace well. It is important that the chair and desk we use allow us to be comfortable. Experts recommend that it is a chair with adjustable height and that the table can be tilted according to our preferences.
• Similarly, for good visual hygiene, we must take care of the lighting. Working in low light means we have to force our eyes, while a very intense light can also irritate our eyes. We must use lighting that does not go directly to our eyes and does not cause reflections on the paper or screen.

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What more visual hygiene guidelines exist?

Another of the most important aspects to take care of our visual hygiene is to take breaks. Yes, resting during work or study is absolutely necessary. It allows our mind to improve its performance, and the same goes for our eyes.

When we look at a nearby object for a long time, the view ends up getting tired. Therefore, it is always recommended that, every half hour of work, a short time, even a minute, be used to rest your eyes.

On the other hand, Another important factor in visual hygiene is the distance at which we place ourselves from what we want to see. The advisable thing, in the case of a book or a screen, is to maintain a distance more or less like our forearm.

However, not all guidelines must be applied when working. Activities as simple and everyday as watching television, we must also review them. In this case, it is especially important to monitor the distance, which should be about seven times the screen size.

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In conclusion

Visual hygiene includes a series of very simple rules, such as taking care of our posture in front of a book or a computer, which allow us to improve or avoid problems in our vision.

But nevertheless, The most important thing is to always consult the ophthalmologist for any doubt or visual problem. He will be in charge of correctly assessing the view and will advise you specifically the best for your case.