(function() { var didInit = false; function initMunchkin() { if(didInit === false) { didInit = true; Munchkin.init('105-GAR-921'); } } var s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.defer = true; s.src = '//munchkin.marketo.net/munchkin.js'; s.onreadystatechange = function() { if (this.readyState == 'complete' || this.readyState == 'loaded') { initMunchkin(); } }; s.onload = initMunchkin; document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(s); })();(function(h,o,t,j,a,r){ h.hj=h.hj||function(){(h.hj.q=h.hj.q||[]).push(arguments)}; h._hjSettings={hjid:1422437,hjsv:6}; a=o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]; r=o.createElement('script');r.defer=1; r.src=t+h._hjSettings.hjid+j+h._hjSettings.hjsv; a.appendChild(r); })(window,document,'https://static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-','.js?sv=');

Paula Rodriguez

For effective and healthy forex trading, get to know the different tools and techniques to avoid digital eye strain. At this day and age, time spent in front of computer screens and digital devices is rapidly increasing. As a forex trader, the amount of hours needed online can take its toll on eye health. Because of the time required to execute trades, perfect your strategy and analyze charts, a forex trader is susceptible to eye strain. With the help of tools and effective practices, you can maintain good eye health and treat digital eye strain.Over time, eye fatigue can affect trading performance and productivity. In today’s society, the wide use of digital devices for work as well as leisure has produced a higher rate of eye strain cases. As much as forex traders should try to limit time online, digital eye strain is unavoidable. Because of this, the best way to prevent symptoms of digital eye strain is to become fully aware of its nature.

Get to know the nature of digital eye strain

What is digital eye strain?

Digital eye strain describes the feeling of eye discomfort caused by an overexposure to digital screens. These digital devices include computer, laptops, tablets and cellphones. When exposed for over 2 hours, the regular use of digital devices and constant refocusing needed for pixel-generated images can greatly cause eye discomfort. The common symptoms of digital eye strain are irritated eyes, tired eyes, neck or back pain, and blurred vision.Digital eye strain

What are the effects of untreated digital eye strain?

  1. Constant eye strain makes it difficult to concentrate or completely focus on a task.
  2. Untreated eye strain may become extra spend from visits to theophthalmologist or treatments to ease eye pain, especially for severe conditions.
  3. Both long term and short term eye discomfort eventually lessens efficiency and alertness when forex trading.
  4. Blurred vision and long periods of uncomfortable eye pain may cause mistakes or errors when reading or decision-making.
  5. Most patients of digital eye strain feel distressing symptoms like dry, itchy, burning or extremely irritated eyes. This causes the need for more breaks which leads to lesser productivity.

Things you didn’t know about digital eye strain

According toEyes Overexposed: The Digital Device Dilemma, the daily pattern and constant exposure to devices altogether cause the physical discomfort called digital eye strain. With the advancement of technology, everyone is increasingly exposing themselves to devices like computers, cell phones and television at a regular basis. With forex trading as an online and digital job, awareness is one of the best tools to fight and prevent any of the uncomfortable symptoms. To learn more, here arethings you might not have known about digital eye strain:

  • More than 50 percent of adults are reported to have symptoms of computer vision syndrome and digital eye strain.
  • Digital eye strain is often caused by simultaneous use of two or more devices.
  • Eye strain is usually experienced after two or more hours of looking straight into the computer screen without breaks.
  • Studies show that 75 percent of patients feel recurring symptoms of tired eyes or heavy eyelids during their initial visit.
  • Digital eye strain and computer vision syndrome is now the number one health hazard, with higher complaints than carpal tunnel.
  • Around 70 percent of users check their devices within the hour before going to bed.
  • Reduced rate of blinking is another effect of digital eye strain which causes sensitivity to light and that feeling of something stuck in your eye.

Daily hacks and innovations to treat digital eye strain

Due to the hours spent on the computer, forex traders need to fully equip themselves with the right tools to treat digital eye strain. For prevention as well as relief,here are effective hacks and smart technologies you can use to treat digital eye strain:

Follow good computer ergonomics

Computer ergonomics are highly valuable for those experiencing or preventing digital eye strain. By organizing your workstation for better computer ergonomics, you are ensuring high productivity and reducing the chances of eye fatigue. According toBest Eye Care Tips for Perfect Trading, forex traders should always arrange a desk space for optimized reading and proper lighting. Doing this can greatly improve eye comfort while using the computer or tablet. To prevent digital eye strain through your workspace, here are sometips to achieve better computer ergonomics for eye relief:

  • Make sure to use ambient lighting with proper illumination when needed.
  • Brightness on your computer screen has to match the same luminosity as your environment.
  • Minimize eye movement through stands for your tablet or printed documents.
  • Follow the rule of thumb of computer ergonomics for optimized efficiency.
  • Control and lessen any glare coming into your office.
  • Eyes should be at a 20-30 inch distance from the screen.
  • Adjust other display settings on your computer. These include text, contrast and color temperature.
  • If you use two devices, make sure to match brightness levels on both gadgets to lessen shock and ease transitions from one screen to another.

Digital eye strain

Swap!

Swap your digital device and go traditional. To lessen the symptoms of digital eye strain, control the use of your devices as much as possible. These days, there are many news apps that have replaced certain leisure or office activities. With the innovation of these apps, the hours of usage on a digital device increase as well. Take a look at all your apps and see if there are certain activities you can do without the use of your gadget. Once in awhile, go off-the-grid and “digital-free”. Here are thebest ways to start swapping your digital device to help prevent digital eye strain:

  • Try reading from a book instead of a tablet or use pen and paper for note taking instead of your phone.
  • Instead of messaging friends and family via cell phone or computer, try to use the telephone instead.
  • Use a real alarm clock in the morning. This restricts you from using your cell phone after waking up.
  • In your personal time, find hobbies that don’t involve being online.
  • Together with your cup of coffee, go traditional and read the newspaper.
  • During lunch hour, avoid being on your phone or in the office. Replace lunch indoors with lunch outside without any gadget or wifi.
  • If possible, swap online forex education with classes, seminars or meet-ups.

Practice eye exercises

Step 1: Pick an exercise

Having great eye health requires the most effective and practical types of eye exercises. One of the most effective eye exercises is the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This exercise reducesfocusing fatigue.For more types of exercises, trytheseto help reduce eye strain while working.

Step 2: Find a great tool

Aside from having a great kind of eye exercise, applying realistic methods to practice must be used to achieve effectiveness. Forex traders need plenty of concentration when trading on a daily basis. Because of this, the most useful tool to encourage eye exercises are timer apps or web-based softwares made specifically to help eye relief from the computer. These programs allow you to be reminded to take a break without distracting you from work. Most of these tools are now modifiable.

Step 3: Make it a habit

The key to preventing digital eye strain is to form a habit out of eye exercises. As you take advantage of these programs, you must make eye exercises come naturally to you. Over time, you will be able to take frequent breaks without it distracting you from trading.

Find the right technology

With an increasing rate of concerns caused by digital eye strain, there have been more innovations to relieve and prevent further discomfort. Here are thebest innovations that aim towards digital eye strain prevention and relief:

    1. Computer glasses.When prescribed correctly, computer glasses can give a more optimized viewing and protection from digital eye strain. Because of extended hours on the computer, computer glasses can improve forex trading experience and increase productivity. It reduces glare and increases contrast. As a result, the symptoms of long hours online decreases.
    2. Upgraded monitors for eye care.Companies these days are now fully aware and mindful of their customers’ increased hours of computer usage. Because of this, they have designed products and optimized monitors to prevent digital eye strain. This upgraded technology is geared towards improving visuals and minimizing overall symptoms of eye fatigue.
    3. Prescribed and specified contact lenses.Studies show that those who wear contact lenses are more prone to eye irritation. Because of this, the best way to get the right contacts and alleviate eye discomfort is to invest in high quality lenses with the approval of your eye doctor.
    4. Gaming lights.Ambient lighting can make digital images look sharper and decreases glare. Using gaming lights for advanced lighting is a great way to achieve comfortable ambient lighting in your workspace. The technology in the gaming world has plenty to offer, especially since users spend longer hours on their computers. Take a look at the gaming section to see what they have available.
Note: Prior to investing in an eyewear, make sure to always consult your doctor to get the correct tools.

Avoid simultaneous use

Simultaneous use of different devices is one of the biggest factors that contribute to digital eye strain. Recent studies even show that 70 percent of adults use two or more gadgets at a time. Avoiding simultaneous use is a simple yet highly effective way to minimize digital strain. This hack is quite straightforward yet it can be difficult to practice daily. Here areeffortlessways to limit daily use of your digital devices:

  1. Limit proximity. Forex traders often use tables and laptops or cellphones simultaneously for assorted trading activities. If possible, it is helpful to limit proximity of unnecessary digital devices when trading. When you don’t need your cell phone, set it aside in another room or in your bag. In case of emergencies, make sure to turn off silent mode or connect your number to your laptop.
  2. Turn off notifications or alerts. Alerts on smartphones or laptops can be distracting and can lead to simultaneous use of devices. If these are not related to work, turn off notifications on your devices to avoid using different gadgets. Since focus is important as a forex trader, this practice can also be beneficial for higher productivity and can lead to better concentration.
  3. Minimize use of social media. For daily practice, take a real break from the digital screens by also minimizing your hours on social media. For most people, social media is the biggest reason for simultaneous use of devices. After working on a laptop or computer, most people take their breaks by looking at social media apps on the cell phone. To limit daily use of digital devices, try and limit daily interactions on social media as well.

Have a preventive outlook for digital eye strain

Digital eye strain is the result of too much exposure to computers and gadgets. In the long run, it can cause health issues that are hazardous to both professional and personal life. Aside from affecting eye health, digital eye strain can greatly disturb a session of trading. It can lower productivity and personal effectiveness needed in a focus-driven job like forex trade. Because of this, it is essential to use tools and practice ways to avoid long term or short term digital eye strain. This will not only improve forex trading performance, but also enhance eye health and prevent further vision problems.Digital eye strain

Great