What is your approach to avoiding eye strain during 8+ hour remote workdays?

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Since starting WFH, my eyes feel constantly tired and sometimes burn by end of day. I’m staring at screens way more than when in office (no more random coffee chats or in-person meetings). Using a 24″ monitor and laptop. Any advice on monitor setups, breaks, or other strategies to keep eyes healthy?

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OptometristsDaughter 2 Apr 2024

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20-20-20 rule changed everything for me. Every 20 min, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. I use an app called EyeCare that reminds me. Also, blue light glasses make huge difference - get good ones not cheap Amazon ones. And make sure your monitor is slightly below eye level, not straight ahead or above.
188
Tech Ergo 2 Apr 2024

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Try f.lux software. It adjusts screen color temperature based on time of day - warmer at night, cooler during day. My eye fatigue dropped like 70% after installing. Also for monitor setup - follow 'arm's length rule' - monitor should be about arm's length away and top of screen at or slightly below eye level.
143
Water Guy 2 Apr 2024

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artificial tears!!! keep bottle on desk and use throughout day before eyes feel dry. prevents strain better than treating after already dry. also humidifier near workspace if you live in dry climate. dehydration makes eye strain worse so drink tons water.
114
Carter Keller 14 Feb 2025

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I remember the first month working from home I pushed through eight hour days wearing contacts, eating lunch at my desk and falling asleep on the sofa with my laptop still on. My eyes burned so badly one evening I rubbed them until they were streaked and I had to laugh and then cry a little because I looked ridiculous. My roommate made me book an optometrist appointment and I learned some hard lessons about simple habits.
What actually helped beyond the usual tips was getting a pair of dedicated computer glasses tuned to the exact screen distance with a small positive power to relax focusing, and increasing OS font scaling so I stopped squinting. I swapped to a matte anti glare screen protector and a flicker free monitor with higher refresh rate which eliminated this subtle, unnoticeable flicker that made my eyes work overtime. I also do a 30 second focus exercise every 45 minutes where I alternate near and far focus and force myself to blink more. If nothing improves see an eye pro.
23
L. M. 19 Apr 2024

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This whole eye strain thing reminds me of the time I got so caught up in binge-watching a new series with my laptop perched on my knees that by the end of the night I felt like I’d been staring into a nuclear reactor. Didn’t help that my cat decided resting her tail right across the keyboard was a good idea, so I couldn’t really move things around either. Eventually, I realized it wasn’t just about how bright the screen was or how far away it sat but the actual lighting in the room. I went back to basics and started experimenting with some soft ambient lighting and making sure none of those nasty overhead fluorescents were blasting me straight in the eyeballs.
For long remote workdays, it’s crazy helpful to balance the environment overall—not just your monitor setup but where you get your light from. Try working near a window with natural light coming in but don’t have the monitor facing the window straight on (glare city!). Layer your lighting so it’s not just one harsh source and your eyes don’t have to constantly adjust between dark and bright areas around you. Also, keeping your blinking game strong is underrated! When we stare at screens, our blink rate dives way down, so consciously try to blink more often to keep those eyes lubricated without always reaching for artificial tears.
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Accepted Answer · 2024-04-03T09:11:35+00:00

I invested in proper monitor setup and it was absolutely worth it. Two 27" 4K monitors with proper brightness (not too bright!) and contrast settings. Poor resolution makes your eyes work harder to read text. Also consider monitor placement - they should form slight arc around you so you don't have to move head much. And LIGHTING is crucial - avoid screen glare at all costs. I use Phillips Hue lights behind monitors to reduce contrast between screen and background wall.