The “hygienic visual rules” are a set of advices aimed at reducing the stress produced by near vision over the visual system.

With these tips we try to adapt to the current social requirements of our visual system.

Read these tips thoroughly and try to put them into practice as much as possible, and do not forget to do a periodic revision with your optician at least once every two years.

Visual hygienic tips:

- Do not place texts too close to your eyes when reading. The suitable distance is approximately that between one’s elbow and the middle part of one’s fingers. In addition to that, when we read, the forearms should be leaning on the surface of work.

- Studying and reading with an adequate illumination. The light has to be concentrated in the studying or reading area, but the surrounding must not be dark.

- Avoiding the gleams or the direct light over the eyes. We have to assure that the computer’s screen does not have annoying gleams, which produce accumulative stress that causes visual fatigue. We should also avoid exposure to the direct light coming from the lamps.

- Our eyes are not ready to look closely for extreme long periods of time, therefore you should make periodic breaks. You shouldn’t go for more than 45 minutes reading or working with the computer without a break. To relaxing your vision: look through a window and try to focus on objects which are far away, so the eyes can be relaxed.

- If you are in front of the computer, you have to pay attention to your position. It is very important that the screen be situated under the sight line, i.e. the eyes looking slightly downward, never upward. If you are typing data or text from a paper onto the computer, you should try to avoid, as much as possible, the repetitive rotation of your neck. You could put the text in a place near the screen of your computer, and maintaining a straight back and your arms parallel to your body.

- Hydrating your eyes. Blinking is a physiological natural mechanism of tear secretion and a way to clean the ocular surface. Near vision that requires concentration inhibits blinking. When studying, reading or using the computer, one’s blinking frequency is reduced to less than half. Therefore, many times, when we are concentrated reading, or watching a film or driving, we suddenly feel a little itchy and teary due to the fact that the eyes are drying and the process of reflex tearing begins involuntary. We have to be aware of this phenomenon and try to blink and freshen up with cold water every once in a while.