I think we all know the negative consequences of staring at a screen for too long. It can lead to premature blindness and other eye problems. The only problem is that almost every job today requires a significant amount of time in front of a computer monitor. That screen time is killing our eyes according to a report from the American Academy of Optometry.

So what should we do about it? Health experts say to reduce our time looking at screens to less than two hours a day. They do, of course, provide the caveat that it’s fine when looking at a screen for work. They do say that you really should get out more while focusing your vision on books and other things.

Funny enough, the biggest problem that affects our eyes is being productive. People who focus entirely on their work forget some basic eye care like blinking. The average person blinks about 12 to 15 times a minute. When focused on work, a person will blink only four to five times a minute. Since blinking is such an subconscious action, it’s hard to actually force yourself to blink without taking your mind off the current work at hand.

For better eye health, be sure to sit far away from the screen in a well-lit room. Both of these factors can contribue to poor eye health. It’s hard to sit far away from a computer while at work, but you can distance yourself from the screen. Be sure to keep the lights in the room on as well. The backlight of the computer screen coupled with a dark room is a recipe for early onset blindness.

I should admit that I don’t wear glasses and I’ve been staring at screens for the better part of 20 years now. My eyes don’t even appear to be getting worse with age, but I know other people who have problems. Ignoring the fact that I’m a mutant, taking care of your eyes in today’s digital age is super important. Until doctors are able to stab us in the eyes with needles to cure various vision problems, it’s best to take care of them.

[h/t: A Healthier Michigan]